Freaks
by unamusedfox
Summary: I, Sam Manson, knew Danny's parents were freaks who hated ghosts. However, sitting in this green and gold colored hospital room, clutching Phantom's warm hand and wondering if it's supposed to be cold, I finally understand the extent of their hatred.
1. Chapter 1

One moment I'm Batgirl, and fighting ghosts. The next moment my cellphone is blaring in my ear and I'm jumping a foot out of my desk chair, knocking over a mug of lukewarm coffee. Not the most pleasant awakening.

Rubbing my eyes I glance at my clock. It's one eleven in the morning - meaning the coffee didn't work and I slept for almost an hours instead of studying. So much for that test tomorrow.

I sit back down in my chair. Ignoring my ringing phone, I observe the damage the coffee has done to my math homework. My papers on the left side of the desk are fine. However, Danny, who'd suddenly abandoned me and his studying after his ghost senses went off, is not so lucky. His papers are drenched in coffee.

Groaning, I pull Danny's papers out of the coffee and shake them. He is not going to be happy when he comes back from his ghost fight.

For a moment my mind tries to figure out who in their right mind is calling me this early in the morning. Maybe it's Danny. He's been gone almost an hours. But that somehow doesn't make any sense to my still groggy mind. It's not like him to call. Ever. Then where is he? Maybe he came back here after his ghost fight and found me sleeping.

If Danny took a picture of me sleeping I'm going to kill him.

Wait.

My phone's still ringing.

I drop the coffee covered math papers on the bed and grab my Android phone that just barely fits in my black skinny jean pocket. The call is from an unknown number. Still, the number has Amity Park's area code. Suddenly annoyed at the unknown caller for waking me up, I tap the answer call button and place the phone to my ear.

"Hello?" I ask, my voice cracking with grogginess.

"Is Danny with you?" a very feminine voice asks so quickly that the words almost trip over each other.

"What?" I ask, shaking my head. "Who is this?"

"This is Jazz. Is Danny with you?"

I sigh._ The protective older sister strikes again._ "No Jazz, your brother's not here." For a second I picture Danny as he was about an hours ago: in his ghost form, his focused neon green eyes looking down at me before he turned intangible and flew out through my black ceiling. It's not the picture of someone who needs _protecting_. "He flew out of here just after midnight," I say.

Silence.

I watch the coffee slowly spreading across my desk. The black coffee is starting to seep into my papers. I should move them.

Jazz asks, "Where did he go?"

"He left to fight a ghost," I say.

More silence.

Slowly, I start to stack my math papers. Then it dawns on me. I'm fairly certain Jazz made me save her cell number as a contact. And she's not calling from home. "Jazz, where are you?" I ask, suddenly very awake.

"I searched the house. I called his cell. He's not home," Jazz says. "I called Tucker. He said Danny was at your house studying. And now he's not even with you."

I take a breath. "It's okay," I say, trying to calm down both myself and Jazz. "He always shows up eventually. He's a hero d-"

"-no you don't understand," Jazz cuts me off. Her voice is starting to wobble. "I can't find Danny. I even called Valerie. She hasn't seen Danny Phantom since yesterday."

Her words hit me. Hard. If Jazz called Valerie, the Red Huntress, of all people to try and find Danny Phantom, something must be very wrong. My stomach starts to hurt with worry. It is unfortunately a very familiar feeling. "Jazz! What's going on?"

"Sam. This is not good. My parents, they've locked the basement." Jazz's voice is wobbling. "They never lock the basement lab! And I can't find Danny. They came home too happy. They're not even night owl. They hunt ghosts and they're morning people. They came home at midnight. If you last saw him at midnight. Oh. This is not good. Darn. We need to do something. Darn it. Darn it. I should have known. Darn it. I saw all the sighs. Why didn't I put it together-?" She's rambling now.

Jazz is freaking out. Jazz doesn't freak out. Ever.

I jump to my feet."Jazz!" I yell into the phone.

Jazz stops talking.

"Where are you?" I ask, trying to keep my voice from shaking.

"Sorry," Jazz says. She's crying. Her ragged breaths crackle in the phone. "Payphone: at the Nasty Burger."

"Okay." I grab my jacket that I left lying on the bed. As I start running out of my room my heart starts to race. "Jazz, I'm on my way. I'll be there in three minutes. Don't go anywhere."

I disconnect the call.

It's not until I've run down three flights of stairs and I'm slamming my front door that I remember I have a midnight curfew. Not that It matters. I just keep running fast as I can down the cold and dark night street towards the Nasty Burger.

* * *

There - the first chapter of my very first fanfiction. Ever. What do you think? Continue?


	2. Chapter 2

The odd thing about the Nasty Burger (other than the fact that it doesn't lie about it's food quality) is that it's open 24 hours. Here in Amity Park, where ghost attacks have become _almost_ a normality, a quick look at the dark and abandoned city streets will tell you that businesses have become mostly unwilling to stay open past midnight. Yet, as I turn another corner and see the Nasty Burger and it's bright red neon sign exclaiming that it's open, I am grateful to it's awful management for keeping it open. Mostly because it's home to the only working payphone within walking distance of the Fenton's house.

The rest of the payphones within walking distance of the Fenton's house have mysteriously stopped working.

If the Nasty Burger wasn't open, I don't know how Jazz would have called me.

I can see the headlights of the nearest car at least two blocks away. Heart racing in my ears, I _J-run_ across the street towards Nasty Burger, not bothering to wait for a red light. I cut across the grass. I push past a skinny man in a red Nasty Burger shirt smoking just outside the doors and into the warmth of the restaurant.

I scan the the Nasty Burger. It's fairly empty. There's a bored looking curly haired woman at the cash. Two boys I recognize from biology class are at a back corner table playing cards. In the back corner across from them is Jazz. She's standing next to the payphone with her face buried in her hands.

I sprint over to her. "Jazz," I say, slightly out of breath.

She looks up at me. Her face is red. Her eyes are puffy and wet. "Sam, I have a plan."

I swallow, trying to calm my turning stomach. "Alright," I say, "but first I need to know. What exactly is happening with Danny?"

Jazz takes a jagged breath. "I think," she says, closing her eyes, "that Danny, no Phantom, is trapped in the lab with my parents." She starts to cry again. "They arrived home just after midnight and told me they had gathered a rather special specimen. I didn't think much of it. It wasn't until about an hour of studying later later that I realized I hadn't seen my little brother since school. I tried to get in the lab, but it was locked. I ran out to look for him. Then I realized that I should have called one of his friends. But I left my phone in the lab. I called it, but it's out of batteries. So I ran here and called Tucker and Valeries and you. I- I just-"

Jazz stars to sob again.

I feel numb. I know I should feel something (horror perhaps), but her words haven't truly sunk in. "Jazz!" I yell.

She looks up at me, and wipes the snot under nose away with her sleeve.

"Calm down!" I say, my voice surprisingly authoritative. "Crying wont do us any good. What is your plan?"

Jazz shakes her head, and wipes her face with her other sleeve. "We need to get my parents out of the lab. They're obsessed with ghosts. If they think there's a ghost attack in town they'll probably leave to go fight it."

I nod and pull out my cell phone. "Okay."

"Your cell wont work," Jazz says, "Mom got rid of all the phones in lab when kids started prank calling in fake ghost reports."

Oh for the love of! How long have I known the Fentons? How did I not know this? "Then how do we get a hold of them?"

"Mom has a cellphone that can only be accessed by city workers in case of ghost related emergency. I can't remember the number. The Nasty Burger should have the number on file somewhere."

I nod. "Then what?"

"I'll stay here and try to get the number from an employee. Once I get the number I'll call it from the payphone. Sam, you run to my house and try to get Danny out of the the lab when my parents leave." When she stops talking, she blankly stairs off into space.

I place a hand on Jazz's shoulder.

She's trembling.

"Is your car here?" I ask, looking her in the eyes.

She nods. "Yes."

"You need to drive home. It will be faster than me running. Also, you know how the equipment in the lab works. I'll stay here and call Maddie. Once your parents leave your house call my cell. Then I'll run over to help you. Understand?"

She nods again. "Understood." She turns and bolts out of the Nasty Burger.

For a second I watch her go. Then I remember that I'm on a mission. I run over to the cash counter, where the curly haired woman is standing looking bored.

"I need the emergency Fenton number," I say, halting to a stop. "Hurry! It's important."

She raises an eyebrow. "You mean the crazy ghost peoples' number? Why would you need that?"

I slam my fits on the on the counter. "It's important!" I snap. My heart thumping in my ears. I don't have time for her. "Go get it!"

The lady takes a step back. "Alright," she says, "no need to be rude. I'll get it for ya." She turns and walks _slowly_ towards the back room.

I clench my jaw. I wait, impatiently tapping my black painted nails against the counter.

Finally, the curly haired lady comes back with a card in her hand. She offers it to me.

I impatiently yank it from her hand. Without a word I run towards the payphone.

Suddenly the lights flicker. The cash lady screams.

I bolt around.

Hovering above the cash counter is a middle aged ghost with dark shades, and flaming white hair. It's Technus. "I, Ghost Master of Science and Electrical Technology version 2.0, have come to rid of another insubordinate payphone."

I freeze in shock. By all rights I should be terrified - I don't even have a Fenton thermos. Maybe it's because I'm already worried about Danny, or maybe I have too much adrenalin in my system, - but I'm strangely not frightened by Technus. Possibly I've been in one too many ghosts fights.

The curly haired lady scream again. She's now cowering behind the cash counter.

Technus flies across the room, over my head and stops, hovering over to the payphone. He he points down at the payphone. "Minion!" he screeches as his hand flies towards the curly haired lady, "Attack the loud un-hip food worker!"

Nothing happens.

"I, Technus 2.0, Master of all Things Technological, have had it with these insubordinate payphones! They only listen to the orders of money." He charges a glowing green energy ball and whips the energy towards the payphone. It smashes into the wall above the phone. He missed. "Why can't I delete this phone?" he yells. He turns his back to me and glares at the payphone. "It must be harboring an all mighty power!"

He raises his hands and a cluster of analogue clocks conjure above his head. "You, Minions, attack the un-hip food lady."

The clocks start to fly towards the lady hiding behind the counter. She's going to get hurt.

Or worse.

I cant let that happen. My fighting instincts kick in. I blame one too many ghost fights. I take a step forward and throw my cell phone at Technus.

My cell phone hits Technus in the back of his head. His head falls forward like a rag doll's. The shades fall from his face and hit the ground with a _click_.

The clocks flicker out of existence. The lights flicker.

Technus's head snaps around 180 degrees to look at me. He's frowning and his beady eyes are glowing neon red. "You dare attack me with my own weapon, child?"

I'm suddenly terrified. I take a step back, trying to think of _something_ to say.

Technus shrieks and teleports to inches in front of me. He throws a punch at me. Fast.

I don't have time to react. His fist hits my face - my left jaw. I fall. The back of my head slams against the floor. I cry out in pain. I open my eyes but my vision is a blur. I blink rapidly, trying desperately to regain orientation. Something cold hits my stomach knocking the wind from my lungs.

Technus is kneeling on my stomach. He doesn't weigh much. But I can't move. His glowing red eyes are staring directly _through_ me. A grin tugs at the corner of his mouth. As he raises his left hand a green energy ball starts to form.

_He's going to kill me._ I snap my eyes closed, braising myself for the inevitable.


	3. Chapter 3

With my eyes closed tight, and Technus kneeling on my stomach keeping the air from my aching lungs, I wonder if I will be the first living human Technus ever kills. Up to date there have been zero official reports of _death by ghost_ in Amity Park. It's a miracle, even with Danny Phantom, his underappreciated team of Ghost Getters, the Red Huntress, the Fenton's and the occasional visit from the Guys in White, Amity Park is the most haunted city in the world. Still, there has to be a first for everything. I whimper. I'm terrified.

I don't want to die.

Suddenly there's a BANG and Technus' weight is gone. I cough, struggling to fill my aching lungs with oxygen. The air smells like rotten eggs and burnt lemons: the smell of burnt ectoplasm. It is unfortunately a very familiar smell.

"You?" Technus screams. "Didn't-"

Another BANG. The temperature in the room drops.

My violet eyes flutter open. Moaning, I roll my head to the side. Standing by the entrance to the Nasty Burger is an old woman wearing a knee length blue knitted sweater. She's only wearing one red sandal, and her short gray hair covers the left side of her face. Her left arm in stretched out in front of her.

Across from her, in the direct line of her arm, Technus is getting to his feet. He sheiks, "Intangibility why-?"

BANG! A red laser beam flies from the old woman's hand.

The beam hits Technus. He flies across the room, breaking a table in half, before slamming into the back wall, right next to where the two boys are cowering. "You cannot delete the Master of al-"

The old woman takes a step forward. BANG! Another red laser beam fires from her hand at Technus.

The laser hits Technus and he screams. The wall behind him cracks.

The woman takes another step forward. Another red beam flies from her hand. This beam is different than the previous: it's thicker and has waves in it – similar to the beam sent out by a Fenton Thermos.

I watch, wide eyed, as the red beam pulls a screaming Technus into the lady's hand. Technus is gone.

Did the old woman just absorb a ghost? I can't quite decide if that's really _cool,_ or really _gross_.

The old woman turns and walks towards me.

I'm too in shock to move. My heart is racing, and my ears are ringing. Something about her expressionless face is _wrong_. My head aches as I try to figure out what.

The old lady stops in front of me and looks down. "Any broken ribs?" she asks.

Suddenly I know what's wrong with her face: it's missing wrinkles. She's not an old lady. She's a teenage girl - a rather cute one, with a round, chubby face. I struggle to sit up. I'm trembling. My jaw throbs and my left rib aches. But nothing feels broken. "Don't think so," I manage to choke out.

I notice a red ring on the gray haired girl's left index finger. The ring is decorated with a red orb shaped gem. The gem looks cloudy; like a mini version of the orb Freakshow once used to brainwash ghosts. Something is moving inside the gem. I squint my eyes, trying to figure out what. Suddenly, Technus' face slams against the side of the ring. He face is scrunched into a scowl, and slams his fists repeatedly against the glass barrier.

The ring is like a tiny Fenton Thermos. Meaning, the girl didn't absorb a ghost: the ring did. Definitely cool.

I open my mouth to ask where she got the ring, but the gray haired girl cuts me off.

"Danny Phantom didn't show up," she says, her face remaining expressionless.

My stomach lurches at her words - like she's punched me in the gut._ The lab. Danny's parents. _Panic. Looking up at her expressionless face, my jaws drops. "No," I say.

"Shame, I thought for sure Phantom would come in an attempt to save you," she says. "Maybe next time."

I scramble to my feet, ignoring the throbbing in my left lung, and shove my hand into my pockets, trying to find the card with Maddie's cell number. I can't find it. "Where did it go," I say out loud. My gaze flies across the restaurant, searching for the card, before stopping at the payphone where the curly haired lady is making a call.

I run past the gray haired girl, and over to the payphone.

The curly haired woman is holding the card with the Fenton's number on it. "Yes! Yes! There was a ghost attack," she says into the phone. She pauses. "No. The ghost is gone, but it might come back. You know how ghost are." Another pause. "You're crazy! I'm not leaving. What if the ghost's outside?" Pause. "Just hurry." The lady hangs up the phone and looks at me. Herfpace is pale, contrast the rose colored blush she's wearing. "If you knew a ghost was going to attack, why didn't you tell me?" she demands.

I shake my head. "I didn't know a ghost was going to atta-" I really don't have time this. "Who did you call?" I ask.

The lady laughs, forcefully. "Who do you think I called? The Fentons: the crazy ghost hunting people." She waves the card with their number on it. "You're all mad. Anyone who willingly fights ghosts is mad. You and your gray haired friend are mad. Why do I still live here?"

"Were not friends," I say turning to look at the gray haired girl. She's gone. "Where did-?" I start, but my cell phone rings cutting me off. I scan the floor looking for my phone. It's in the center of the room. I run towards it and pick it up. The screen is cracked, but it still works. The number calling is the Fentons'. My hands are trembling almost uncontrollably, but I manage to answer the call. I place the phone to my ear. "Jazz?"

"Hi," Jazz voice answers.

"Is Danny okay?" I demand.

Jazz takes a shaky breath. "Sam, I can't go down. Not alone. I- you did amazing. Your called worked; my parents left the house. I got the lab door open. But Sam, the smell, I can't-" Her voice breaks off. She takes another breath, then says firmly, "Get over here. I can't go down to the lab alone. I need your help."

_Smell? Oh, not good._ "On my way," I say, rushing towards the doors of the Nasty Burger. I shove my cell into my coat pocket.

"Hey! What about the ghost?" the curly haired woman yells after me.

I ignore her. I really, really don't have anymore time. My best friend could be in serious trouble, and I need to help him. Somewhere, in the back of my mind, I'm still clinging to the hope that Jazz is wrong, and the Fentons have simply been busy with some crazed new invention. And Danny is simply off fighting with Skulker.

The night air is cold, and my jacket is unzipped, but that's not why I'm trembling.


	4. Chapter 4

Writing this chapter made my stomach hurt. I mostly just stick to writing action and drama. This is my first shot at anything resembling gore or horror. Ever. So, I hope I did okay-ish.

Oh yeah - warning, this chapter is kinda ICK. If you have a weak stomach, please, please, for the sake of your well being, just skip this chapter.

All feedback is greatly appreciated. Even stuff like, 'you made a typo, Fool.'

* * *

The streets are almost abandoned as I run toward the Fentons. My lung aches, but it's dulled by adrenaline - another unfortunately familiar feeling. I pass a man walking his pug, a few normal cars, and the Fenton RV. As it drive by I catch a glimpse of Jack driving in his bright Orange jumpsuit, and Maddie in her teal jumpsuit. My heart rate increases and yet time seams to slow to a crawl. They look so goofy, so normal - for the Fenton parents. It's hard to believe that they could be capable of hurting anything intentionally. Still, I feel the overwhelming desire to stop them and tell them that if they've _really_ hurt Danny I will find a way to make their lives hell. But I don't think they see me. The roaring RV doesn't slow down as it drives by.

I turn another corner and see the dozens of lights shining from the _Fenton Ops' Center_, and the bright green sign that reads Fenton Works. It's such a familiar sight: one I've seen countless times after late night ghost patrol. However, this morning the sight just makes me feel dread. I run another half block and I'm at the front door. I'm panting, but I can still breath - thank goodness I'm in shape.

I'm reminded of an evening that I'd spent here not too long after the Portal Incident. Danny and I had been sitting on the front door step eating cookies. Jazz had made them for Home Economics and warned us not to eat them. She'd even gone so far as to do her homework in the kitchen to guard the cookie cooling on the counter. Danny however, was in a rebellious mood and decided that since the cookies were vegan, and he'd recently used his new ghost powers to save the city from a crazed Lunch Lady Ghost, he was inclined to a reward.

I'd made fun of him, saying that soon the world would know of the great hero Inviso-Bill who would demand cookies in return for the exorcism of ghosts.

Suddenly he'd looked at me with his blue eyes. He was frowning - frustrated. "Sam," he'd said, "I don't think I can do this."

I'd stopped eating my cookie, suddenly worried. "Do what?" I'd asked.

"Maybe I should just tell my parents. They're the ghost experts; they know how to deal with ghosts. I'm just a half dead kid. According to my dad I'm just a freak: a ghost that should be torn apart, molecule by molecule."

I'd simply laughed at his words. Did he not realize how lucky he was? He got to fly and turn invisible. He'd become a superhero: every child's dream. "My parents think Goths are freaks that should be torn apart molecule by molecule," I'd said jokingly. "Even if you were an un-unique human, your parents would still find a reason to call you a freak. It's what parents are good at." I'd smiled at him. "Tucker and I will always be here for you. When you become the damsel in distress, we'll come rescue you."

After that Tucker had shown up with his goofy smile and pink hat. He'd demanded a cookie. Danny had '_poltergeisted_' another cookie for Tucker. Then we'd spent the rest of the night watching horror films with daemons, zombies and ghosts slaughtering innocent people. The three of us had laughed at the awful special effects and cheesy, over the top gore. It'd been a pleasant evening.

But now, as I force open the front door of Fenton Works, and I'm not greeted by a smiling Danny and the smell of baking cookies, but rather a dark hallway, that day feels so far away.

"Jazz!" I call.

"By the lab!" Jazz answers.

I run to the top of the lab stairs.

Jazz is standing by the lab door with both her hands tugging at her long red hair. She looks at me. Her face is no longer red. She's just pale. She gestures to the lab door. "It's open."

I want to ask why she didn't go down on her own, but I don't. It won't help anyone. I simply nod and walk past her. The door the lab opens silently. I am instantly overcome with a smell similar to rotten eggs and burnt lemons: burnt ectoplasm. I clamp my hands over my nose and mouth. Any notions I may have had of the Fentons treating Phantom, a ghost, with even the slightest bit of humanity are gone. Yet, anger and fear are distant. Right now I'm in a far ways place and watching myself through a screen. Or I'm in a crazy dream. I'm numb. None of this is real. It can't be. Danny is fighting Skulker. He has to be.

I look down into the dark lab. The only light is a faint flickering glow coming from somewhere in the center of the lab that's casting faint shadows at the bottom of the stairs.

I descend, running at first. The creaking of my feet hitting the rusted stairs, and the hum of the ghost portal are too loud. When I get to the bottom of the stairs, the motion activated lights flick on. I stop and blink, adjusting to the too bright, florescent light.

My eyes adjust and my eyes fly across the lab, desperately searching for Danny.

_But he's out fighting Skulker. Right?_

The silver wall facing me has a collection of thick cracks in it. They run down the wall, across the floor, passed a cluttered trolley and finally to a table in the center of the lab with a large black tarp draped over it. A tube attached to an IV containing a clear liquid runs to underneath the tarp.

_Not good._

A faint glow floods out from under the tarp.

_Really not good._

I stare at the tarp and again I feel dread tugging at the back of my mind (did the feeling ever leave?). The tarp is ever so slowly rising and falling. Something underneath it is breathing.

Autopilot kicks in and I move towards the table. I hit my leg against the trolley and I grab it in an attempt to catch my balance. My thumb hits something sharp, and pain slices across my hand. I hiss and pull my hand to my chest.

Looking down at the trolley I realize I've jabbed my thumb into the blade of a scalpel. That particular scalpel is clean, but the ones in the tray lying next to it are covered in ectoplasm. Next to the tray is a small heap of black cloth (it looks like spandex), scissors, syringes, jars filled with goop and a _#1 mom mug_ filled with coffee.

I don't want to think about what may have happened here. The image of a struggling Danny being cut open by his parents, the people who should love him the most is just too sickening. Or angering. And too much of something out of a sick science fiction movie. I tell myself that I must be inane to even think such a thing. Danny is too smart and powerful to ever get caught. Clenching my fist I continue towards the table.

I grab the corner of the tarp. My breath is far too loud in my ears. Danny can't be under the tarp because he's fighting Skulker. But now I can just barely hear the tarp crackle with every rise and fall. I peel back a corner of the black tarp. The stainless steel table underneath is covered with neon green ectoplasm. I don't want to continue.

_Please don't let Danny be under this tarp, _I silently beg to anyone who's listening._ Please let it be The Box Ghost, or any other ghost._

But Danny is one of very few ghosts, or halfas, that breath.

Slowly, pulling the tarp back I see white hair, and then a pale, glowing face. It's Phantom. It's Danny. His eyes are scrunched closed as if in pain and the bottom half of his face is covered with a black cloth. Listening I can just barely hear his wheezy, labored breaths that accompany each slow rise and fall of the tarp.

I want to scream and cry. I won't. I can't. I shake my head and clench my teeth. This is not the time to be emotional. This is the time to act fast. I shove my emotions to the back of my mind and promise not linger on them. It should be easy because I'm a Goth: I'm used to the dark and I will be strong. I need to get my best friend out of the lab.

He's unconscious.

At least he's not awake. At least he can't feel anything.

As I keep pulling back the tarp, ectoplasm drips from it. It reveals Danny's arms stretched out to his sides it a _t-formation_ and restrained down with thick metal bands: two on each arm, one at each wrist and the others just below the elbow. The IV is connected to his muscular left arm. The catheter and tube are secured in place with duct tape.

I yank the tarp off the rest of the way, leaving it in a heap by the side of the table, revealing Danny's _open_ torso. There's ectoplasm seeping from his open chest cavity and pooling at the sides. For a moment I'm reminded of the mechanical frog I _dissected _in 9th grade science. But the intestines and lungs I'm looking at don't belong to an inanimate, mechanical frog. They belong to Danny. My best friend. I bit my tongue to keep myself from gagging. The taste of blood fills my mouth. It should hurt. However, I feel nothing.

I'm truly just action without thought as I start pulling on the metal restraints. They don't budge. _If they could be moved easily, Danny would have gotten out of them. _"Jazz!" I hear my voice yell, "Get down here! Now!"

I hear Jazz _thunk_ down the stairs. I hear her feet stop. "No!" she shrieks.

I bolt around to look at her.

She's standing at the base of the stairs with her eyes wide open and her hands clamped over her mouth.

"Jazz," I say, my voice sounding distant in my ears, "you need to get the Danny out of the restraints. Do you know how?"

She nods. "Compute. Controls."

"Go! Hurry!"

She hurries over to the computer sitting on the other side of the lab. I watch as she starts typing.

I also need to act. I turn back to the table and take Danny's hand in mine. It's warm. Something about that is wrong. This whole situation is wrong. But I don't have time think about it because Danny's hand ever so slightly squeezes my hand.

"Danny?" I ask. _Please be okay. Please let my best friend be okay. _

He moans, quietly.

"Got it!" Jazz calls.

The restraints hiss open and retract back into the table.

Danny moans again, and his arms twitch ever so slightly. But his eyes remain closed tight.

_Now what? _

Before I can do anything Jazz is standing by my side and pulling off her Black sweater to reveal a light blue tank top underneath. She grabs a pair of scissors from the trolley and cuts the sweater into strips - all the while whispering, "He's going to live. He's not human so he can survive this." She cuts the IV tube and the clear liquid flows from the severed tube. She places the scissors back on the trolley. Half her _sweater strips_ Jazz presses to Danny's stomach. His ectoplasm quickly soaks through.

"Sam," Jazz says, "I need you to sit him up."

"Okay." Kneel down, and reach my hand under his back, my arm is instantly drenched in his ectoplasm. I start to lift him, expecting him to be heavy, but he doesn't weigh much. Not more than fifty pounds. With ease I get him into a slightly slanted sitting position with his side resting against my stomach and chest. Danny's head rolls onto my shoulder.

Jazz runs to the other side of the table, and wraps the rest of her sweater strips tightly around his torso. She takes Danny's arm and places it over her shoulder. Then she slides one arm under his back, and the other under his knees.

I let go of Danny: passing him over to his sister. It's one of the hardest things I've ever done: I don't want to let him go.

"Now," she mutters, "we need to get him out of here. There are bandages in the upstairs bathroom." She turns and heads up the lab stars.

Dread is back. _Or was it there the whole time? I can't remember._ What I do know is that after today nothing will ever be the same for us ghost-getters. It just hasn't hit me yet. And I hate to think of the moment it will.

Trembling, I follow up the stair.


	5. Chapter 5

The air smells of burnt ectoplasm as I follow Jazz, who's carrying an unconscious Danny Phantom, up two flights of stairs and into the upstairs bathroom. Jazz places Danny on the white tile floor and flicks on the florescent lights. She turns to the bathroom cupboard and rummages though it in search of bandages.

I kneel down on the floor next too Danny. I feel numb - detached. I'm trembling and yet I want to run forever. I'm looking at Danny from a far away place. He looks awful. He's covered in ectoplasm, the neon green goop is quickly soaking through Jazz's makeshift bandages. The fabric starts to slip, reveling a glimpse of Phantom's still open chest. His eyes are still scrunched in pain, and the black cloth is still covering his mouth.

I take Danny's glowing hand in mine. It's warm. Ghosts are supposed to be cold. Phantom is supposed to be cold. _Please be okay._

Suddenly Danny starts to twitch. He moans and his glowing green eyes snap open. They widen, showing the whites of his eyes, then snap shut again.

"Danny!" A wave of panic washes over me. I tighten my grip on his hand. _Please be okay. Please let my best friend be okay. _

Glowing blue rings appears around Phantom's stomach. They split and sweep over his body transforming him from Phantom to Fenton. All the ectoplasm vanishes from his body along with the black cloth that was covering his mouth, the IV catheter. Even the overwhelming smell of burnt ectoplasm lessens. All that's left is raven haired Fenton. His face is relaxed, as if he'd simply fallen asleep on the floor.

I grab at his T-shirt and pull it up. His _human_ six-packs and chest are clear of incision marks. There's no gaping hole. I gasp.

What about Phantom? I don't think the wound healed on the ghost half.

There's a_ thud_ as Jazz drops the bandages. She turns, kneels on the floor next to me and places her ear to Danny's chest. "He has a heartbeat," she says. Then she lets out a sigh.

Silence.

All that's real is the slow rise and fall of Danny's chest. He might be okay. But why isn't he waking up?

"My parents will be home soon," Jazz says, quietly.

I don't turn to look at her. Instead I look down at myself. My once black jacket is now covered in my best friend's glowing green ectoplasm. Examining my hands, I realize their also covered in the stuff. It's dry, like finger paint that won't quite wash off. I gauge. _Isn't ectoplasm like ghost blood?_ _What if the Fentons see us like this?_ "What should we do?"

More silence.

Than Jazz whispers, "Ectoplasm stains, but it dries quickly." She crawls slightly forward and slips her hand under Danny's back. She grunts, trying to lift Danny. She can't.

_Ghosts weigh less than the living. Maddie told me that long ago. _

Jazz looks up at me with her pale face. "Help me carry him to bed. My little brother needs his sleep."

I get to my feet and step to the other side of Danny. Bending over I slip my arm under his arm and help Jazz get Danny to his feet. He's heavy. My left lung aches again.

Together we manage to half carry; half drag Danny down the hall and into to his bedroom. The lights in his room are off and the dry ectoplasm covering Jazz and I glows in the dark. We heave Danny onto his bed that's covered with a rocket pattern comforter.

I watch in silence as Jazz tucks him in. She stars to cry again. Her sobs are too loud in the dark room.

For some reason I wish I could cry now. "Now what?" I ask.

She turns to look at me. Her face is red and covered in tears. She sniffs. "You can sleep in my room."

I glace quickly over at the _Nasa_ analogue clock that's sitting on Danny's bookshelf. It's two in the morning: too late for me to walk home. Not that that I'd abandon my best friend now. The next morning, regardless of if Danny wakes up or not, is going to be awful. I don't want to think about it. I'll deal with it when it comes. "Will Danny be okay?"

"I don't know. I should have learnt more from my parents." She walks past me out of the room. "Follow me."

I follow Jazz across the hallway. We enter her room. It's white and neat; not a thing is out of place. It reminds me of slightly a hospital room. The _pink_ bed sheets on the single bed look awful and yet very inviting. A wave of fatigue hits me and my body feels heavy. My eyes start to burn. I sit down on the bed and look up at Jazz. "What about you?" I ask.

She places both her hands over her mouth. "What happened to your face?" she asks.

For a moment I don't know what she's talking about. Then I place my hand to my jaw and pain explodes across my face. My left rib is really aching. _Technus: he punched me in the face. He almost killed me not even an hour ago. But I'm alive._ The adrenalin that's worked so well to keep me going and dull my pain is starting to wear off. The world is starting to fade. "Doesn't matter," I say, dropping my eyelids closed, "where are you sleeping?"

"Danny's floor."

She might have said more after that, but I fall asleep. My best friend might be dying in the room next to me, and I'm _freaking_ asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

I'm dreaming that I'm Batgirl again. I'm standing at the edge of a skyscraper. If I take another step it will be a very long fall to the pavement. The wind is cold; it's howling right through my mask and spandex suit. All around me a city stretches out and merges into the blue horizon. It's the middle of the day and yet the sky is full of stars. The constellations are wrong; I know because The Phantom of the Opera has spent many nights pointing out the constellations and telling me the stories of each one.

Somewhere a door _squeeks_ open. I look around, but there are no doors on the roof.

"No ghosts," a muffled voice mopes. It belongs to Jack Fenton.

"Yes, but there was a ghost attack," a cheerful voice, belonging to Maddie Fenton, answers. Her voice is also muffled, like she's standing on the other side of a wall or down a flight of stairs. "Did you see the spectral readings? They were off the chart. It must have been an extremely powerful ghost."

I clench my fists and jump from the skyscraper. I'm falling. Down. Down. Down. The cars the size of beetles, and people the size of spiders are quickly getting bigger. Somewhere in the city the Fentons are hiding. When I find them I'm going to knock out their teeth and throw them out of my city. If only I could remember why I'm so mad at them.

"But we've already caught the most powerful ghost in Amity," the voice of Jack says. "The Ghost Kid's in the lab."

"Whatever ghost attacked the Nasty Burger was fairly powerful," the voice of Maddie says. "We're lucky it didn't kill anyone."

I fire my grappling gun in the direction of Jack's voice and it lodges into a building. I start swinging forward. My face hits something fluffy. A pillow. I blink my heavy eyelids open. It's dark, but I can make out the outline of a bedroom. The room's not mine; it's too clean. It's Jazzes. _Why am I in Jazz's room? _

"That curly haired lady was sure freaked out," Jack says, "and really nice. The free fries almost made up for not finding a ghost. Speaking of which, I'm going back to the lab."

"Jack, don't you think it's a bit too late to be working?" Maddie asks.

My stomach lurches. I remember why I'm here: the fight at the Nasty Burger with Technus, the odd gray haired teen saving my life, Jazz and I rescuing Danny Phantom from the lab. And Danny's ectoplasm - which I'm still covered in. I feel nauseous. I close my eyes and roll over again. My cell phone, in my skinny jean pocket, presses against my leg.

"No." I hear Jack say. "_It's_ a weird one. _Its_ insides are so un-ghost like. Can't sleep until I figure out why."

There's a pause, and then very quietly, as if from far, far away, I hear Maddie answer, "His anatomy is odd. So is his psyche. I've never seen a ghost cry like that before."

Suddenly I'm Bat Girl and back in the city again. I'm chasing two blobs, one is teal, the other orange and fat, through a crowd of angry people. I throw a batarang at the Orange Blob. The batarang misses and disappears.

The teal blobs stop running and start yelling about something. It's upset, but I don't know about what. Its words are incomprehensible.

"Then how did _it_ escape?" the Orange Blob yells. "I need fudge."

The blob's words make my blood boil. I spit and swing my fist at it. But I don't hit the blob. My cell phone is suddenly ringing and I'm back in Jazz's bed. Light is flooding in through the bedroom window.

Slowly, I sit up. The movement is painful as my lung is sore; but I've had worse from not stretching after working out. I begin to wipe the black strands of my hair from my eyes, but I stop. My hand, my arm, and my torso are glowing green. Ectoplasm – I slept covered in Danny Phantom's ectoplasm. Iv'e been covered in ectoplasm before (again, too many ghost fights), but never Danny's ectoplasm.

I might have just as well slept covered in Danny Fenton's _blood_.

Wrong. Wrong: the whole situation is wrong. Danny better be alive. There's nothing I can do for him until he wakes up. I close my eyes, and shake my head. I can feel dread and panic in the back of my mind. _Thinking about it won't do me any good. _

In a desperate attempt to distract myself, I pull my still ringing Android phone from my pocket. The screen is cracked, but it still works. Through the cracks I read that 'Witch' is calling. Meaning my mother is calling. I moan. I ran out of the house after curfew last night (or this morning), without telling anyone. Mom has probably realized that I'm not home. And I have no idea what excuse I'm going to tell her. _(Sorry, I was busy saving my best friend, Danny Phantom, from his insane, evil parents)._ She's going to murder me.

I reject the call.

I roll out of Jazz's bed and look around the white and almost empty room. Sitting on the floor is a neatly folded pile of clothes and a box labeled _Fenton Anti Ghost Wipes: gets ectoplasm off skin or your money back_. The stuff wasn't there last night. It must be from Jazz. Grateful, I open the box and pull the wipes; they look like black baby wipes.

I start wiping Danny's ectoplasm off _me_. I can't be covered in the stuff when Danny wakes up. The _Fenton Anti Ghost Wipes_ work quite well peeling the green substance off my body, and soon there's no ectoplasm left. Unfortunately the wipes don't work on my clothes. _So much for my favorite pair of jeans._

Once I'm done I throw the green covered wipes into the pink bin under Jazz's desk.

Wrong: this whole situation is wrong. And there's nothing I can do about it. So, I wont think about it. I can't.

My phone rings again. It's my mother again. I reject the call again.

I pickup the clothes Jazz left for me on the floor. There's a pair of really boring jeans and a black long sleeve top with a purple flower on the front. They're generic, but clean. I change into them.

My phone rings again. Again it's my mother. I wouldn't put it passed her to call the police if I reject her call again. Grudgingly, I answer the phone. "Hi."

"Samantha!" my mother's shrill voice shrieks, "you better have one heck of an excuse."

"For?" I ask sarcastically before I realize the word is out of my mouth. I mentally smack my head. I'm already in enough trouble.

"No games Samantha; don't you dare," mom says, her voice trembling with rage. "You have ten minutes to get home before I call the police."

Mentally I groan. "I can't get home in ten minutes," I lie, "I'll see you after school." _I'm already dead._

"No! You're coming home right now. You don't even have your backpack or your math homework with you. Even that Fenton boy's stuff is in your room." There's a pause. "If that boy hurt you-"

"-how could say that?! Danny would never-!"

"- I don't know where my daughter is! I don't know if you're hurt. All I know is you're missing." Her voice cracks, "and you don't even care."

I massage my temples. I didn't have time to write a note. And even if it had, what would I have written? Still, I need my backpack. It has my ghost thermos. "Really, Mom-"

"- I love you. Last year I even visited your unruly Gothic Circus for you. And it turned out the ring master was a criminal! And you know what's worse? He was broken out of jail by some crazed old lady this morning. The news even said that both people are thought to be in hiding in Amity. There was even ghost attack at the Nasty Burger early this morning. You hang out there." She stops and takes a breath.

_Wait! Gothic Circus? Ring master? Freakshow was broken out of jail by a crazy old lady? The gray haired girl who saved me last night had a ring that looked like something Freakshow would use. It couldn't be._"Circus Master? You don't mean Freakshow-"

"-No! We're not talking about circuses. Just come home. Now!" There's a loud _click_ of as my mother slams the phone into the receiver.

My heart is racing now. Freakshow? Why now of all times? Danny can't know. I sit back down on Jazz's bed and massage my temples. This day will only get worse. I won't think about it. I can't.

"Get out of my room!" I suddenly hear Danny yell.

_He's awake!_ My stomach lurches and I run into the hallway.

Jazz is standing right outside of Danny's door. "But Danny."

Danny, with his hair in an unruly bedhead and his white shirt with a red oval on it, is standing in the door way to his room. He's scowling, but he look normal. "Don't watch me sleep! It's creepy!" He looks at me and his jaw drops. "Sam? Why are you here? What happened to your face?"

_My face? He's asking about my face? Shouldn't he be worried about himself? Unless -_ "You don't remember?" I ask.

Danny shrugs. "You and Jazz. Really? What am I supposed to remember? And are you okay?"

I shake my head. "You don't remember last night?"

Danny shrugs again. "Remember what? Studying for the math test that I'm going to fail. Fighting the box ghost. And then. Um." He frowns. "How did I get here? How did you get here?" He grins. " Does your mother know you spent the night at a boy's house? Or does Phantom need to fly you home?"

"No!" Jazz yells. "Under no circumstance can you transform into Phantom."

"Why?" Danny asks.

I look at Jazz. _All that ecoplasm and the rotten smell. _ _(Don't think about it)_

Jazz's eyes are wide. "You have amnesia."

Danny looks from me to Jazz. "What don't I remember?" he asks.


	7. Chapter 7

Happy Thanksgiving to all my reader in the US! (I'm grateful to all you lovely readers who have written me reviews, you make me motivated to keep typing) And if you're not in the US, have a very happy Thursday. ^_^

Any who, this chapter is kinda thinking, and less stuff happening. I hope it makes some sense.. .. ..

-and remember, there is no such thing as a stupid review. (even: _I have no idea what you're trying to say. Try again, Fool!_)

* * *

The three of us stand in silence.

Amnesia: the thought is somewhat comforting. It means Danny doesn't remember being _cut open. (Just stop thinking.) _Instead Danny looks so normal: not like someone who's other half has a gaping hole in his torso-.

"Really though," Danny says, "Sam, what happened to your face? Are you okay? Do you need me to haunt someone?" He grins. "Or am I not supposed to be Phantom right now? Mom and dad make some crazed new invention?"

I just stare at him, and my stomach refuses to stop hurting. Does he really not remember? He's asking me if I'm okay? He was the one who was-

-who was-

-he was vivisected by his parents, not even five hours ago.

_(Really don't think about it. You're not even the one who was truly hurt.)_ I shake my head. "Not unless you can haunt ghosts."

"A ghost did that to your face? I'm sorry. Next time I'll-"

"-Don't apologize," I snap. "You're not my bodyguard."

More silence.

"Danny," Jazz says, looking at Danny with a stern face. "I need you to promise to me you won't transform into Phantom; not until we have time to discuss last night's events. It's critical that you listen to me"

Danny looks at me with a raised eyebrow. He's asking me if he should listen to his older sister.

_Fenton's lucky the wounds didn't transfer over. Who knows what shape Phantom is in right now. (Stop thinking about it.)_ I nod.

Danny sighs. "Whatever. But you're driving us to school." He runs a hand through his hair. He only does that when he's nervous.

"Deal," Jazz says. She looks at me."There's foundation in the bathroom. It's in the mirror cupboard. You might want to use it." She turns and walks past me and into her room. She closes the door.

Danny and I are alone. I still can't get over how normal he looks.

"So," Danny says, "Should I be worried? I feel fine. I'm not going to open my front door and find another ghost army, am I?"

How am I supposed to answer that? I try to smile. "There's no army, but, um." _You were almost murdered last night. And your ghost half is probably destroyed beyond repair. _"I need to get ready."

I turn and run to the bathroom. Once inside I close the door. I couldn't tell him - but someone is going to have to tell him soon. I don't know what to do.

I hate not knowing what to do.

Looking in the mirror I understood why Danny had been so worried about my face. Where Technus had punched me on my left cheek and jaw was deep red with hints of purple in the center. Under my eyes is black from lack of sleep and smeared eyeliner. My hair is a frazzled mess. I look like a mess.

I pull open the mirror and find a bottle of foundation. It's two shades too dark for my skin.

I know I'm just distracting myself from reality, but reality really sucks right now. And thinking wont to me any good.

I wash my face and I open the bottle. It doesn't take me long to cover my bruise. When I'm done I look tan. I don't normally wear a ton of makeup; normally just thick eyeliner and purple lipstick. However, I find makeup to be an art form , and one I'm fairly good at. (I might even study it after high school and get a job creating zombie faces or elf ears for TV.)

When I'm done with my face I brush my hair. Then I take a good look at myself in the mirror. For the first time in a long time I don't look like a Goth chick. I'm generic: Jazz's conservative clothing and my hair down.

I miss my eyeliner.

I miss _my_ normal.

The bathroom door opens. In the reflection of the mirror, I see Maddie walk in. She stops and blinks. "Sam? What are you doing here?"

My stomach lurches and I jump around to face her. I can feel my face begin to burn with hatred.

For the first time in a long time Maddie's not dressed in a teal jumpsuit. Instead she's donned a plaid shirt and jeans. Her red goggles are absent. She doesn't look like a scientist: she looks like a normal mom.

I straighten my back and clench my fists. I want to get out of here fast as possible. Frowning I say, "Spent the night. I came for help when a ghost attacked the Nasty Burger, but Jazz said you'd already left." _It's not even a real lie_.

"You were there last night? Are you okay?" She sounds genuinely concerned. Then in a low voice she asks, "Did you see the ghost that attacked?"

And there it was: the obsession that had led her to-

-and the whole time all she thought about was Phantom's _unusual_ anatomy.

Maddie takes another step forward. She's standing in the exact spot where Phantom had turned back in Fenton. All that ectoplasm. I almost gauge again. _Don't think about it._

"Sam, are you alright?"

I look up at her. "I'm fine."

She smiles. "Jazz's clothes: they look nice on you."

I look down at the clothes. It's sickening really – Maddie is observant enough to recognize that I'm wearing her daughter's clothing, and yet she can't put together that her son is a ghost. I guess hatred is blinding. "Thanks."

"You're fascinated by ghosts, correct?" Maddie asks, running a hand through her hair. "Or are they too mainstream for you?"

The question catches me off guard and I blink before answering, "Sure, ghosts are cool."

"You don't think that it's possible for-" She stops and takes a breath, suddenly looking slightly pale. "Do you think it's possible for a ghost to be sentient?"

The question hits me in the gut. The sentience, or self awareness, of ghosts had come up a few times between Tucker and I right after Danny had acquired his ghost half. Tucker had suggested that the reason ghosts were violent and chaotic was because they were similar to enemies in video games: _programmed_ to act violent without being aware of their own existence or their awful deeds. _Real_ ghosts were only physical manifestation negative and _evil_ emotion. - When Danny Phantom shot a ghost, the ghost didn't scream because it was in pain; it screamed because it was a _programmed_ reaction leftover from its life.

I did not agree with Tucker's theory. I thought that because ghosts were the spirits of dead people and animals who were self aware in lives (yes, I believe animals are self aware) they continue to be self aware in death. The reason behind most ghosts' obsession and violent nature was the result of a death that'd left them angry and full of regret.

However, it wasn't a question we could ask Danny. What were we supposed to ask him? (_Hey, Danny, are you still self aware? Or are you just an artificial intelligence?)_

Eventually we'd met ghosts who weren't chaotic (like Clockwork and Frostbite). In reality most ghosts _who_ stuck to the Ghost Zone were fairly _chill_. This lead both Tucker and I too agree that ghosts were sentient, or self aware. They were just like people, only with an obsession and dead.

Tucker and I had also concluded that the reason ghosts attacks happened in the human world was because the ghosts who left the ghost zone were the ghosts who had vendettas against the living, or were just board. - Ghosts and humans do _evil_ things for the same reason. Ghosts and humans do _good_ things for the same reasons.

"Yes," I answer. "All ghosts are self aware."

"Hm," Maddie says. "You believe all ghosts truly experience the _emotions_ they display?"

What? Maddie has been hunting ghosts for years, and she's only thinking of this now? The thought truly disgusts me. "Yes," I answer.

Maddie looks pale (like she's seen a ghost). "But the average ghost is 75% ectoplasmic: not capable of having pain receptors," she mumbles, pressing her fingers to her lips. She looks at me. "You've given me much to think about," she says.

_Pain receptors? Just what __exactl__y__ did she do to Danny? _

Suddenly the door to the bathroom flies open. Danny runs into the bathroom and over to the toilet. A second later he starts vomiting.

The _plunking_ of vomit falling onto the toilet sounds disgusting.


	8. Chapter 8

I'm kneeling on the cold bathroom floor and rubbing Danny's back as he vomits into the toilet. It smells sour and sounds disgusting. Maddie is standing behind us. I can't see her face. I don't say anything. However, I can finally feel the reality of last night setting in. I wish it wouldn't. Danny was hurt really badly and he might never be okay. His parent are freaks – monsters.

I wish one of the meteoroids that Danny loves so much ("Hey, Sam, have you ever thought about how cool Earth's atmosphere is? Everyday anywhere from 5 to 300 tons of space junk is burnt up by it. It's like the atmosphere is Earth's shield; it's why you don't have to wear a hardhat all the time. And yet every once in a while a meteorite will get though. And one day I'm gonna find one.") would crash through the ceiling and strike Maddie dead. She deserves it.

_Does anyone really deserve that?_

But mostly I just wish last night didn't happen.

Danny stops heaving and spits into the toilet.

"Honey?" Maddie asks. "You okay? I'm calling your doctor."

"No!" I shout a little too quickly. _What if they find his ghost half? Danny has been avoiding to doctor's ever since he acquired his ghost powers for that very reason. _ I turn my head and look up at Maddie. I wish she were dead. "No need. He probably just caught the flu from me." The lie naturally flows out of my mouth; like most of my lies these days (No, Mom, these bruises aren't from ghost fighting; I was a clutz and walked into a tree – again). However, this lie is simply ridiculous. The last time I had the flu was in the second grade, and Maddie knows it – I spend far too much time in her house there days.

Maddie shakes her head. "This could be serious. Danny has looked really tired lately."

Danny turns and looks at me and Maddie. He's pale and his eyes are bloodshot. "I don't feel so good."

_(That's the understatement of the century.)_

Maddie farrows her brow. "Danny, get to bed. I'm calling the doctor," she says, placing a hand on Danny's shoulder.

An almost invisible blue puff of frost escapes Danny's mouth. He jerks back, and Maddie's hand falls from his shoulder. He turn back to the toilet and gags. He moans a second later when it's clear he's not going to hurl again.

This is very bad: there's ghost nearby and Danny is in no shape to fight. I won't let him fight. My Fenton Thermos is in my backpack at home. The idea of getting weapons from the lab crosses my mind, but I can't go back down there. I simply freeze.

"Fine," Danny says staring at his (monster of a) mother and slowly shakes his head. "Go call the doctor."

Maddie blinks. "Alright." She turns and walks towards the door.

Again Danny and I are alone. A growing scene of dread in my stomach makes me want to run from the room and never stop until I drop dead. I also want to punch somebody. And cry. And hug Danny, and tell him that I'll find I way to make _this_ better, (heck, I don't even know what's truly wrong with his human half) even if it kills me. However, at the moment I mostly feel powerless to do anything.

I take Danny's hand. It's warm.

"Your hand's cold," Danny says. Another puff of frost escapes his mouth and he clutches his stomach. "What's happening with my ghost powers?" he asks.

I don't know how to answer that. My best guess is that it had something to do with his parents and the lab. I open my mouth to answer but the lights flicker and Danny yells, "Watch out!"

He pushes me onto the ground.

Pain strikes my lung again.

The sink explodes, throwing bits of white glass across the room.

I look up passed Danny, who's kneeling over me, to see Technus hovering in the center of the bathroom. His shades are still missing and his beady red eyes are expressionless. He doesn't say anything.

I panic._ Didn't that gray haired girl take care of him? _

Danny gets to his feet and faces Technus. He grins. "Hey, Master of all Things Hip and Technological! Are you going to tell me your evil plan?" He takes a familiar fighting stance.

I've seen that stance so many times; he's about to transform into Phantom.

Is he stupid? He just realized that something was wrong with his ghost half. I won't let him transform. Who knows what will happen to him if he does? _I don't. _I don't have my Fenton Thermos - it's at home in my backpack. I jump to my feet. Danny's save me so many times; I at least have to help him just this once. I grit my teeth and grab Danny's hand before the blue rings appear around his stomach. I turn and run, with him dragging behind me out of the bathroom.

"Let go!" Danny demands.

"You can't transform into Phantom," I reply, running down the stairs.

"But-"

"You won't. You promised."

We reach the bottom of the stares when Jack, dressed in his orange jumpsuit, runs around the corner. He's carrying a green bazooka looking. Dropping to one knee he yells, "Kids duck!"

Danny and I drop to the floor.

The Bazooka fires with a Bang.

The shot hits Technus who was flying in the stairwell just behind us. He falls onto the steps.

"Got ya ghost!" Jack drops the bazooka pulls out a _swiffer_ looking device that was slung over his shoulder. "Check out the latest in ghost hunting technology; the new an improved Fenton Extractor," he shouts as he charges, Fenton Extractor first, passed Danny and I towards Technus. The end of the devise hits Technus and he's pulled into it.

Jack raises the Fenton Extractor over his head. "I won, Ghost. This baby doesn't just extract ghosts, it catches them to." Jack looks up at me. He gives a wide toothy smile. "Sam!" he says. "Why are you here? Did you hear that we caught Phantom last night?"

_Danny flinches next to me. _

_Yes I did, and is that all you care about? You were almost just killed by a ghost. You're sick, Freak._ "Oh really?"

Jack laughs. It's forced and his eyes are all of a sudden glazed. "Yeah, but _it_ got away. Rotten piece of evil post human consciousness. It's just a shame we couldn't learn more from _it_ first."

"Dad!" Jazz yells appearing around the corner and running down the stairs. "Is everything okay?"

Jack laughs again. "Nothing this ghost hunter couldn't't handle."

Danny beside me takes a step back. "I need to get to school."

Darn. Did he remember last night? What do I do? "Yeah," I say, dread washing away the panic I'd had a moment before.

Before I really have time to realizing what's happening, Jazz grabs Danny by the hand and runs out the front door. I follow wordlessly trying to figure out what to do. I need a weapon. I need my Fenton Thermos.

"You guys should eat breakfast first!" Jack yells after us.

The three of ignore him and get in Jazz's car. Jazz drives; Danny and I sit in the back. We start driving. Danny is pale. But he doesn't say anything.

_Danny was hurt, and yet he tried to protect me from Technus. He really is a hero. I guess that's not always a good thing. And how much does he remember from last night? Will he tell me about it? Does he remember? Was he awake? What exactly did his parents do to him?_ This is all racing through my mind and again I don't know what to do. I want to punch someone in the face. My heart is racing. I'm scared. I'm angry.

"Where are we going?" Jazz finally asks.

"My house," I say, "I left my Fenton thermos in my room." _Also, I have to get scolded by my mother - not that she can make this day any worse. _

"Alright," Jazz says.

Then the car is silent again. Danny is silent again. I wish I knew what he was thinking. I grab his hand but he pulls it away.

"Don't," he says. Then he asks, "My parents, did they capture me last night? What did they do to me? Is that why it hurts when I use my ghost powers."

I don't know what to say. I want to punch his father, but I don't know what to say to someone who was-

-vivisected-

-by their own parents.

Jazz beats me to the answer. "Yes."

"Sick freaks," I say looking out the window. Were close to my house now- only a park and a few blocks away.

"No shit," Danny says. He slams his face in his hands. "How stupid could I be?"

How could Danny think that? He didn't do anything wrong. His parents did; there the idiots. I clench my fists. "No Danny! You didn't do anything wrong."

I turn to look and Danny. He's looking out his window; facing away from me.

I don't know what to tell him. I look out my window. We're a block from my house. "If my parents know I spent the night at Danny's they'll kill me," I say, "Just wait for me around the corner."

The car stops moving. I open the car door and slide out into the cold morning air. "I'll be quick." I hope it's true. I close the car door with a _thunk._I walk half a block, feeling somewhere between pity and hatred. I stop cold. I panic.

Standing on my door step is _the_ gray haired girl from the Nasty Burger and Freakshow.


	9. Chapter 9

The last time I saw Freakshow was just after he'd failed becoming 'Ringmaster of all Reality' using the reality gauntlet. Also, he was a ghost, and Danny had _delivered_ him to the GIW, before turning him back into a human. I wonder if he remembers that '_reality trip'_ or if Danny was smart enough to erase Freaksow's memory of the event (like he did to the rest of the world).

I really, really, really hope Danny was smart enough.

Freakshow doesn't look much different than the last time I saw him: same black trench coat and man liner. He takes his mini bolder hat off his bald head, and gives me a mock bow. "Welcome home, Miss Manson," he says with a toothy grin. "You should feel honored to see me again."

_Did he touch my family?_ Terrified, I try to take a step back, but something cold grabs my ankles. I almost fall, but that _cold something_ grabs my legs, keeping me upright. As I glace down, I see two glowing green hands reaching out from the sidewalk and holding my legs in place. (Didn't Frakshow loose his ability to control ghosts?) My stomach lurches, but I don't scream: I've been held captive too many times already.

Only, this time I hope Danny won't come save me. I should feel dread, but I still feel like he'll show up at any moment. I really hope he doesn't: he'd lose to Freakshow and we'd both become victims of whatever Freakshow has planned. Yes, this is the third time _today_ that my life has been threatened, but each time someone has saved me.

In fact, the first person who saved me today is standing next to Freakshow. Ironic.

"We wouldn't want our guest of honor walking out on us," Freakshow says. He laughs. Loudly. "Not that you'd be our guest of honor," he says, looking at the gray haired girl, "had my minion had done job properly."

The gray haired girl, half her expressionless face still covered with her thick hair, and wearing her baggy knitted sweater, ring and only one red sandal, looks at Freakshow. "I tried, Sir. The Phantom boy didn't try to save her. Perhaps you were wrong; maybe the Phantom boy's heart belongs to someone else."

People have said that Danny and I are a couple, but they're wrong: were just good friends. And just because I'm terrified doesn't mean I can't take care of myself. "I'm not a damsel in distress," I try to shout, but the words come out all too quiet.

Freakshow laughs again. "I'm sorry. You're no damsel. If you were, there'd be a hero here trying you." He gestures to the otherwise empty street. "Apparently you're not even worth the trouble. Now, I demand you to tell me where the ghost boy is."

"Right here!"

I snap my head around towards the sound of Danny's voice. He's standing at the end of the block: generic shirt, his black hair a mess, and his pale face looking determined.

_Why is he here? Where's Jazz? If he turns into Phantom – _

Freakshow laughs again. "Splendid. My minion returns."

"I'm not your minion!" Danny yells. "And what idiot let you out of jail anyway?"

Freakshow gestures to the gray haired girl. "That idiot did. And now she's going to be a good little minion and capture you."

The gray haired girl nods and begins to slowly walk towards Danny.

Danny waves his hands dramatically. "Oh no. The human girl dressed in my grandmother's clothing is going to capture me. Whatever will I do?" Danny says. He sneers. "Controlling ghosts not good enough for you anymore, Freakshow?"

"Who said she's not a ghost?" Freakshow asks.

"And that would explain my ghost breath," Danny says as blue rings flicker into existence around his stomach.

_He promised me he wouldn't transform. Doesn't he know about last night? The idiot._ "No!" I shout.

Before the rings even finish passing over his torso he screams and clutches his stomach. He drops to his knees and the blue rings reverse. They flicker out of existence, and Danny remains Fenton.

My stomach lurches. _That must have hurt._

The gray haired girl suddenly stops walking. "Halfa." She takes another step and looks at me. "Half of a ghost. Danny Phantom is half a ghost. But I already knew that. That's why I'm here. But why is he hurt? I need him to be strong." She snaps her head to the side and looks at Danny. "Tell me, I need to know how a ghost managed to become half human."

Danny, still clutching his stomach, looks up at the girl. "Sorry ghost girl," he says, "I won't help you."

The gray haired girl raises her hands above her head and her ring begins to glow red.

The cold hands clutching my legs let go and Technus flies out from under the sidewalk. _Oh, that's who the hands belonged to._ He flies towards Danny.

Suddenly I hear the roar of an engine and a green Porsche (sports car) with gold stripes speeds around the corner and screeches to a halt. The smell of burnt rubber fills the air. The front passenger window rolls down and a pink energy beam flies from the open window. It hits Technus and he falls to the ground.

A second beam flies from the window towards Freakshow.

The gray haired girl (or ghost) teleports in front of Freackshow and stretches her arms out in front of her, creating a red force field. There's a loud crack as the pink beam hits the force field. It cracks and the gray haired girl yells as she's pushed back. Her thick gray hair is pushed back from her face revealing red and bubbly scared skin pealing back to a neon green skull. Her left eye is missing.

My heart is racing_. What just happened? _

The front passenger door bursts open and Vlad, dressed in a suit, steps out of the car. "Daniel, get in the car," he demands.

I don't know why or how Vlad knew to come here. I also don't know what came over me but I run towards Vlad's sports car. The man may be an evil freak, but he did just save me. Also his car has to be safer than on the streets with Freakshow and two angry ghosts.

"Daniel Fenton," Vlad shouts, "get in the car!"

I stop and look behind me. Danny is kneeling on the ground and staring wide eyed at Vlad. "Danny Please," I shout, "we have to get out of here."

Vlad starts to run towards Danny.

"Stop him!" Freakshow yells.

The gray haired girl starts walking slowly towards Danny.

Vlad reaches Danny first. He kneels on the ground and grabs Danny's arm.

"Don't touch me!" Danny shouts.

The gray haired girl reached Danny and Vlad, but doesn't stop; she just walks right passed them and continues down the street.

"Anna!" Freakshow shouts, "Where are you going? I command you to get the ghost child."

The gray haired ghost girl keeps walking.

Freakshow shouts, "I will not be _ignored_ by a ghost."

The girls doesn't stop walking. "We're too weak to fight the middle aged halfa," she says. She points down the street in the direction she's walking. "If we have the orange haired girl, they'll come back when we have more ghosts, Sir." Her red ring glows. A the red wavy beam flies from it and pulls Technus back into the ring.

Frakshow looks at Vlad, and takes the slightest step back. "You're half ghost?" he asks, frowning.

Vlad doesn't answer; instead he grabs Danny's arm. They vanish.

I look around, desperately trying to find them. A car door slams. Jolting around to look behind me, I see Vlad in the driver's seat of the sports car. I run towards the car, and grab onto the back door handle. I yank open the car door and jump inside to leather back seat. Danny is sitting in the back seat next to me and staring blankly in front of him. I slam the door closed. I'm panting as the car speeds off.

I hate sitting on the skin of a dead animal, but I don't bring it up. Instead I sit and buckle my seat belt, Vlad is going to fast to be following the speed limit. "Vlad," I ask, "how did you know to come? "

"Jazz called me last night," Vald answers, "when you weren't home I followed Danny's ectosignature." He pauses, then almost growls, "Is it true?"

I hug my knees and close my eyes. I can feel tears welling in my eyes. Pressing my hand to my eyes, I try to stop. Today has been too much, but I won't cry. What's going to happen to Danny? If Freakshow touches my family-

"Jazz!" Danny suddenly shouts, jumping beside me. "We have to go back."

"No," Vlad says.

The car swerves. I press my face into my knees.

"Butter biscuits, Daniel!" Vlad shouts. "Let go of the steering wheel."

"We have to go back," Danny says, his voice wavering.

"No." Vlad says.

"Please," Danny says, "I locked Jazz in the trunk of her car."

* * *

To everyone who's faved, or followed or commented on this story, I give you all a big hug - unless you don't like hugs. Then I give you points of awesome. Really, when I started writing this I thought maybe 20 people would read this story. Instead I've had 41 people follow it. You guys really make me happy to write. All I can really say is, "Thank you."


	10. Chapter 10

The moment Danny says he locked his sister in the trunk of her car, Vlad's driving goes from fast, to '_who the heck installed a rocket to this car?_'' fast. Vlad turns the car, and it's contents, intangible and drives straight through a few blocks worth of houses, to where Jazz is locked in the trunk of her car. The whole drive I cling to the warm _disembodies cow skin_ seats for dear life. You'd think that's I be used to passing through walls by now, but it's still odd. And who knew Vlad was a worse driver than Jack?

Jack – he hurt Danny- I hate him. The though of him makes me angry and sick. I clench the seats hared.

Finally, Vlad drives back onto the road. The car turns tangible, and we stop. We're where Jazz parked her car, but there's no car. A giant red bat is painted on the road in it's place. It's that same shape as the bat on Tucker's Circus Gothica hat.

My first though should have be shock, or fear, or maybe even anger, but I'm already at my emotional limit, but I refuse to cry. Still, thoughts just race through my head: _Did Freakshow kidnap Jazz?_ _And if he did, how did Freakshow even manage to get all the way over here, take Jazz's car,and paint a giant red bat? How it that even possible? Freakshow was a block and a half away less than five minutes ago. It's not possible._

Before I truly have time to react, Danny is jumping out of the car and stars shouting his sister's name down the street.

_This really has to be a bad dream._ I place my hands to my eyes only to find that face is covered in tears. Darn. I'm crying. I step out of the car and into the cold morning air. I run over to Danny and place a hand on his warm shoulder.

He stops and looks at me. He's pale and I can see the white of his eyes. "Where's my sister?" he asks.

"Based on the red bat, I think Freakshow took her," I say, but a second later I regret saying it. It's impossible for Freakshow to have taken Jazz, and Danny looks like he's going to hurl again.

"Dannel?" Vald asks, stepping out of his car. "What _exactly_ possessed you to lock your sister in the trunk of her car?"

Danny takes a step back. "My ghost breath went off," he says, "and Jazz wouldn't let me go see if Sam was okay."

I pull my arms to my away from Danny. _Ouch._ Does Danny really think that I'm too weak to protect myself against a ghost? Maybe I am. Maybe I shouldn't have left my Fenton Thermos in my backpack. But the idiot; Danny should have known that he was too weak to fight a ghost. _And what does Freakshow and his creepy minion even want? _

Vlad places his hand to his forehead. "Congratulations Dannel, you've done a perfectly good job gift wrapping your sister for the enemy. You should win a prize."

Danny glares at Vlad and his eyes glow green. A second later he scream, grabs his chest and falls to his knees.

I fall to my knees beside him, and place my hand back on his shoulder. "Danny?" I ask.

Vlad walks forward until he's right in front of the Danny and looks straight down at him. "Tell me what's wrong with your ghost half, Daniel."

Danny shakes his head.

The three of us just wait in silence for a moment. For the first time since yesterday my face starts to throb again. I don't know what's going to happen or what to. I really hate not knowing.

My phone rings again. If it's my mother I'm going to-

-Freakshow was at my house. If my mother is calling it means she's okay. I hope it is my mother.

Leaving my hand on Danny's warm shoulder, I pull my phone from my pocket. Looking at my cracked screen I read that it's Tucker calling. My stomach drops again. I can feel Vlad's eyes boring into me as I answer it. "Hello?" I answer.

"Hey, Sam," Tucker says, "we got a problem."

I wipe more tears from my eye and grit my teeth._ I don't know how much more bad new I can take._

"Hello," Tucker says Interrupting my thought, "Earth to Sam. You listing?"

"Yes." _Deal with it yourself Tucker. I have enough problems. _

"Spectra's been hired to be guidance counselor at our school, again."

No! Why now? What does she want? Did she hurt anyone? Didn't she officially let go after the _Spirit Day incident_? "What?"

"Spectra's at our-"

"-I heard. Did she hurt you? Where are you right now?"

"I'm fine." Tucker says. "She's been hired at Casper High, and um, yeah, I'm in her office." Tucker gulp. "She wants to _talk_ with you."

I look up at Vlad.

He's frowning.

I quickly look away. "Put her on," I tell Tucker.

A second later Spectra's silk voice chimes into the pone. "Hello Samantha," she says,"are you still tying to seek attention with your Gothic clothing? Or have you realized that your style only signals that you're a freak who's best left alone?" She chuckles.

Her words should sting. _I'm not even dressed like a Goth today and,_ and I like who I am – I'm distinguishable from every other generic girl. Her words only serve to make me less scared and make me angry. I don't have time for her right now. "You have five seconds to tell me what you want before I hang up the phone," I say.

Spectra Chuckles again. "Would you really hangup on me? I might just get angry and take it out on your geeky friend with the silly pink hat- "

"-Five," I start counting. I know she's lying. Spectra needs the misery of high school students to stay powerful. If she hurts Tucker she will loose her job, and never be allowed back in a school. And I know she's smart enough to figure that out (I hope). "Four, three, two-"

"-Fine Goth Freak. I'm looking for an ugly gray haired ghost girl named Anna. I heard you know where she is."

What does Spectra know about the gray haired girl, or Anna? (Now that I think about it, didn't Freakshow call the girl Anna?) What is going on? "She's working for Freakshow," I answer honestly. Maybe I can get some info out of Spectra; then we can find Jazz. "What do you know about her?"

"Oh, that's hysterical." Spectra chuckles. "Guess Technus was right: that queer girl really did become a ghost. And she's finally found someone uglier than she is. I hope that man teaches Anna a thing or two about makeup. Now I guess-" She's cut off by an explosion.

I jolt my head up and look at the street around me. Nothing on my end of the phone has exploded."Tucker!" I shout into the phone, my heart racing again.

A few very long seconds later Tucker answers. "Sorry about that," he say, his voice almost sounding like he's about to laugh. "I think Valarie discovered that Spectra's a ghost, because the Red Huntress just broke though the school wall. I can see them fighting in the parking lot. Wow! Cat fight!"

I sigh in relief. Tucker is still a carefree pig: lucky guy. "Tucker," I say, "I need to go."

"Sam, are you okay?" Tucker asks.

I ignore him. "I need you to make sure you have a ghost weapon on you at all times today. Freakshow might come after you."

"Sam? What's wro-"

I hang up. "Sorry about that," I say, stuffing my phone back in my pocket.

Danny looks at me with his pale face. "What happened to Tucker?"

I shake my head. "He's fine." Not technically a lie, and even if he knew about Spectra there's nothing he could do.

"I need to find Jazz," Danny says, getting to his feet.

_What is wrong with him? He can't be the hero now. He was- _

"Danny," Vlad says, "I don't know exactly what's wrong with you. I do however, know that you are too weak to save your sister from that bald guy." He takes a step to the side leaving a a clear path from Danny to the Porsche. "Now get in the car on your own, or I'll make you."

"No." Danny says.

Vlad frowns. "Your sister called me last night begging me for help. She said you were," he pauses and swallows his face staring to pale. "She said you were cut open by your parents last night. Is this true?"

I flinch.

Danny's gaze drops to the sidewalk.

"It's true," I answer, the words bitter in my mouth. _I don't want it to be true._ I feel sick.

Vlad's face for just a split second looks somewhere between anger and horror.

Danny yells, and swings his fist at Vlad.

Vlad easy catches the boy's wrist. He turns and drags a protesting Danny to his car. He opens the back seat and throws the boy in. "I'm sorry, Little Badger," Vlad says, "But I need to find out what wrong with you." He slams the back door closed and walks to the front of the car.

I watch them for a moment: Vlad's going to take Danny and leave me here. Yes, Vlad can be sick, last year he infected with a potentially deadly disease last year just to get Danny to help him: the man is insane. However, today Vlad honestly seams to want to help Danny. But still, I can't leave Danny alone with the man. My family, and Freakshow will just have to wait: Amity Park has the Red Huntress, and (as much as I hate to admit it) the Fenton's to protect it. And Danny has no one. I run and jump get back in Vlad's car.

Danny is sitting in the back seat. He looks at me. "How could _I_ let this happen?" he asks.

How could he even think that anything that's happened in the last twelve hours is his fault? He didn't do anything."Nothing that happened today is your fault," I say looking him directly in his bright blue eyes. He isn't responsible for all the bad things that happen, and I hope he can get that through his thick skull.

The engine roars and the car turns intangible. We drive straight for another house. I'm hungry, and angry, and scared and I feel weak. I'm with Danny, I will be with him as we get through this.

I hope Jazz is okay. I hope my family is okay. But I can't do anything: I'm off to Vlad's house.

Guess I'm going to Wisconsin.

* * *

Le gasp. I feel like this chapter could have been better. Also, I can't believe I've already written 10 chapters in less than a month. That's in the double digits. Yay!


	11. Chapter 11

Roller coasters are fun. I've been in airplanes (first class) too many times to count, and I've driven with Jack (I hate him). I've walked through walls many times with Danny without much thought. However, I will _never_ get used to Vlad's driving. The man really is insane. Yes, he injected me with a potentially deadly disease last year. He also almost took over Amity Park. He's cloned Danny, and has probably done more _evil_ things than most horror movie villain could hope. But what makes Vlad truly_ insane_ is his driving: he has no respect for roads, or traffic. If it's faster to drive off the road: he drives off the road. If there is something blocking his path, no problem; he just turns the car and it's contents intangible. And why even bother going less than full speed?

This might sound fun, but imagine having a tree, or a house, some guy watching TV, or a preschool filled with kids, flying directly at you at 185 mph, only to have the object enter the car and go right through you.

_It's not fun._

For the first fifteen or so minutes all I can do is sit in my _disembodied skin of a dead cow seat_, stare at the objects flying at me and try not to hyperventilate. Really though, I should be grateful- it means I'm too terrified to think about everything that's happened in the past seven or so hours. Danny, however, doesn't seam too disturbed. He just sits in his seat, wordlessly looking out his window.

It's doesn't take long for us to drive out of the small city of Amity Park and into farmland (How many of the barns we pass are filled with caged animals being grown, only to be slaughtered and turned into two dollar hamburgers?) littered with small forests stretching into the clear horizon.

"What happens if the car turns tangible, and we crash?" I ask/ shriek at Vlad.

"I don't make mistakes," is all Vlad has to say.

"You're wrong," Danny says, suddenly looking away from his window. His looks really tired. "You've made more mistakes than any other person I know, Frootloop. How many times have you been beaten by me? There was that time at your high school reunion, that time you tried to 'wow' my mother with your fake vacation, oh, and lets not forget when you tried to kidnap my sister-"

"Enough Daniel!" Vald yells, "Continue to insult me, and I will sedate you."

"You can't take the truth?" Danny asks, with a smug grin in his pale face. "And think about what will happen to you once the media finds out you kidnapped two kids."

_Did Vlad kidnap us? I got in his car myself. _I flinch as we drive though another set of trees.

The car _shreaks_ to a halt. I fall forward, before being forced back in my seat. We're in the center of a corn field, and the heads of the stalks poke though the floor of the car. The car, and it's contents, turns tangible again cutting the corn stalks in half and filling the floor of the car with corn.

Vlad turns in the front seat and looks at us. It's only now that I realize how tired he look: his eyes look as if they've been punched. His face is twisted into a scowl.

I flinch back. I've never seen him look so angry.

Danny folds his arms and glares back. He must be really brave, or an idiot.

"The only reason I came to your pathetic city," Vlad almost growls, "was because your sister called me at two in the morning. She was terrified that you were going to die. While I can only assume that it was your arrogance that allowed you to be caught my your imbecile father, I know that you were cut open. According to your sister, you almost died! Do you have any idea, Daniel Fenton, just how much you me-!" He stops yelling. He sighs. "Your ghost half is damaged; maybe you are too much of a child to see that yourself, but I will not allow you to rot and die. Fine, I am kidnapping you; it wont be the first time. But I didn't kidnap your _girlfriend_; she got in my car on her own accord."

Silence.

Next to me Danny is slumped in his seat with his arms crossed over his chest.

My phone rings.

My stomach lurches.

_Maybe it's my mother calling. I hope it is her. I mom is calling, it means that Freakshow didn't hurt her. Last time my mother was held captive by Freakshow I wasn't that worried: I was with Danny Phantom and Tucker. We had a plan, and we were strong: we knew what had to be done to save the day. _

_But Danny can't help me this time. He was. Viv- (don't think about it.) And Tucker is back in Amity Park. My stomach drops as it hits me I don't know when I'll be going back home to Amity Park. _

_Guess I'm missing that math test._

A second ring.

_My mother can be a pain, forcing me to wear pink, and go to fancy tea parties; but she's my mother. She looks after me, hires the chefs who make my meals and gives me most the money I use to buy my Goth clothing. She even made arrangements so that grandma in her old age could live with us, and not live a old person's home. She's my mother. Freakshow better not have touched her. _

A third ring.

I grab my phone from my pocket, and without reading who's calling place the phone to my ear. "Hello?"

"Samantha Manson!" my mother's voice shouts into my ear, "The Fenton boy's mother just called saying you not only spent the night at her house, but you ran off with her son. Is this true?"

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. She's yelling at me, and I probably will be grounded, but she's okay. My mother is okay. Before I realize what's happening, a tear runs down my cheek. "Yeah," I choke out, "I don't know what to tell you right now. I was planning on coming home, but stuff came up and-"

"What stuff Samantha? Are you crying? Did that Fenton boy hurt you? Please tell me you're okay."

My stomach hurts again. "I _will_ be okay," I tell both myself and my mom. "I'm on my way to Wisconsin-"

"Wisconsin!?" My mother shouts into the phone. "Oh. No. You. Are. Not. Come ho-" She scream. "Who are you? And how did you get in my house?"

_What just happened? Who is she talking to?_ "Mom!" I shout.

Danny places a warm hand on my shoulder. I don't brush it off.

"Get your hands off me, you freak!" my mother demands.

I hear a muffled cry of my mother. Then Freakshow's squeaky voice answers, "Hello again, Sam."

I'm trembling again. _What does Freakshow want? Did he hurt my mother?_ Danny's hand tightens on my shoulder. "What happened?" Danny demands.

I grab Danny's arms, but don't answer him. "Freakshow," I say, my voice trembling. "What do you want?"

Freakshow laughs. "To be Ringmaster of Life and Death, Child," he says. "Bring me my half ghost minion, if you want to see you friend with the orange hair, and your mother alive again."

* * *

So, what do you think? See any typos? Let me know.


	12. Chapter 12

The last time Freakshow kidnapped my parents, (and Tucker's parents, and Danny's parent's) he promised to kill them if he wasn't given the '_reality gems_'. Once he got his bony fingers on the '_reality gem_', he attempted to kill my parents anyway. I don't think I'd ever been so scared. Now, I take Freakshow's word with a grain of salt. Even if I was dumb enough to hand Danny, the boy who's saved me and Amity Park time and time again, over to Freakshow, he'd probably just try and kill my mom and Jazz regardless.

My grip tightens on Danny's warm arm. He's always saved me before. This time, I need to protect him – he's gone though too much today. "You better not hurt them," I say, trying to keep my voice authoritative despite my tears and hurting stomach. "I'm the only one who knows where Danny is." _I've been in situations like this before, and I've always made it thought okay._

Freakshow laughs. "Your mother yelled out 'Wisconsin'. That's where you and my minion are headed"

_Shoot. Not good. __Why did she have to __- __? Why did I tell her?_ "You think that's where we're going? Have fun on your wild goose chase."

Freakshow laughs again. "Oh, I'm not going to come hunt you down like I'm some filthy circus dog. I will be Ringmaster of Life and Death. Until half ghost boy returns as my minion, life for your town will be," he laughs, "a show the world won't want to miss. I'll see you back in Amity soon. And tell Vlad Masters that as a half ghost himself, he is invited to join the show."

He's already figured out that the mad Danny and I were saved/ kidnapped by Vlad Masters? _How the heck?_ Was Freakshow this smart before? "What do you want with Danny?" I ask.

"Oh wouldn't you love to know. But I'm still mad at you for releasing Phantom from me. Be sure to keep an eye on the news, Child. It might just be the last place you see your mother. " The line goes dead.

This is bad. My mother, and Jazz are in the hands of Freakshow. Danny is unable to use his ghost powers. And I'm off to Wisconsin with a Narcissistic man who has previously injected me with a _ghost acne, _tried to take over my city of Amity Park, at one point put a putting a bounty on his head, and almost killed Jack (would that have been such a bad thing?). I don't know what do to. What can I do? I'm really stressed. I need to think.

Danny's warm hand twitches on my shoulder.

I drop my phone from my ear, stuff it back in my pocket and look at Danny.

"What happened?" Danny asks. His eyes are focused, and tense as if he's ready for a fight. "Tell me what happened, Sam"

_Should I tell him? He always needs to play hero, but he can't today. "_Everything is okay," I lie. "My mom is just really upset with me."

"Don't lie to me, Sam. Something happened to your mother." He's frowning now.

_Well, that went well._ "Can't you just," _not save the day this once? I really care about you as well_. I look him in the eyes. "Freakshow has my mother and Jazz." They're more words I regret saying the moment they leave my mouth.

"What does he want?" Danny asks.

I say, "You."

Danny's eyes widen. "We have to go back to Amity. If it's me he wants, Freakshow will get a fight."

Suddenly the car's engine roars to life, Danny lets go of my shoulder, and again I'm slammed back into the car seat.

Vlad doesn't look back at Danny or me . "I don't care about Miss Manson's parents, or Jazz. If Freakshow is after Daniel, we cannot go back to Amity Park."

The car turns intangible again.

"Let me out Vald! Your not my father. I need to go back Amity Park!" Danny yells.

Vlad snorts. "No. You are a naive child, and I will not you go back. What has playing hero ever given you, Daniel? Nothing. If Sam wants to walk back to Amity Park on her own, she is more than welcome to walk back. But you, Daniel, are coming with me."

"You can't keep me here, Fruitloop," Danny shouts back.

"Actually, I can," Vlad says. "You can't get back to Amity without my help, because you can't even use your ghost powers. You are coming with me. I don't even have to fight you with one hand tied behind my back. In fact, Daniel, I don't have to fight you at all."

Danny slumps back in his seat and frowns.

The sad thing is, I agree with Vlad. Danny can't go back to Amity now: not until he has his powers back. I need time to think, and come up with a plan to save my mother and Jazz. But for now I can't think about it. Thinking about it will just make me even more worried than I already am. I stuff my worries away to the back of my mind and look away from Danny.

The rest of the drive is long, and fairly non-eventful. I get somewhat used to driving through intangible objects.

I feel starved from skipping breakfast. Vlad says he wont get anything that Danny won't eat, and Danny has a hatred for anything that has complex flavors – thus we stop for the very extravagant fast food burgers at a drive though in some small town at the edge of Minnesota. I eat a veggie burger: it's dry and too salty, yet still the best burger I've ever eaten. Vlad eats his dead cow in a bun. Danny, takes one bite out of his, looks like he's about to puke and throws it out the window. I ask him if he's okay, he tells me to stop talking before Vlad gets all protective again.

I sit in silence and eventually fall asleep again. I dream I'm running through a city looking for a villain, but I don't know where the villain is or how to stop him. The villain is just too powerful, and then suddenly I'm on fire.

Suddenly my phone beeps. My eyes snap open, and I find I've fallen asleep with my head on Danny's shoulder. I blink, and I can feel my face turning red in embarrassment. I look at Danny is genuinely smiling for the for the first time since we've been in Vlad's car. I look away, out the window: were in a small town. I look at my cell phone. I have a text from Tucker.

The text read:

**Hey, Sam.**

**Your math teacher wanted me to remind you (and Danny - I know you guys are together) that you have a math test NOW. You better get your butt to school.**

**Also Valarie totally took out the Spectra. In English (Lancer would like to remind you, and Danny about the Hamlet essays due Monday) a gray haired girl marched into our classroom and stole Val's Ghost Thermos with Spectra still inside it. Val and I chased her, but Freakshow showed up on motorcycle (looked like Johnny 13's motorcycle) and the girl drove off with him. The Red Huntress chased after them. I'm stuck in school. Any idea what's going on.**

**Wait, stupid question. I know you know what's going on. What's going on?**

I stare at the text. It's funny how that math test was such a huge problem yesterday. Now I really couldn't care less. Second: Is Freakshow collecting ghosts? And why go though all that trouble to steal Spectra from Valarie? It doesn't make any sense.

Danny looks over my shoulder at my phone. "Who texted you?"

I sigh. "Tucker. He's wondering where we are." _It's half the truth._ "What should we tell him."

Danny shrugs. "No point keeping the dude in the dark."

_But how much should I tell __Tucker?_ "Even about you getting caught last night?"

Silence.

Danny looks back out the window. "No. He doesn't need to know that. Heck, I don't even know what happened last night."

"Kay." _Yeah I though so._

In the end I text back:

**Freakshow is up to something. Don't know what, but he has Jazz and my mom. Also, I think he's collecting ghosts. Don't know why. What I do know is he's after Danny. Danny was hurt last night. At the moment Danny and I are on the way to Wisconsin with Vlad. We're fine. Vlad is sorta helping us for once. See if you can get any info out of Val. **

I send the message. Then, my phone battery dies.

I feel lost. But I promise myself that I wont cry – so I don't. I try yo keep my mind blank, as no one is talking. I try to get some sleep as traveling makes me drowsy. But it's almost impossible, though I do drift off a few times. Eventually the sun starts to set, sending beams of pink light dancing across the sky.

Then I know I fall asleep again because suddenly I'm waking up from a dreamless sleep because the engine stops.

"Welcome to my home," Vlad says.

I look out my window my jaw drops. I am rich, my my house pales in comparison to Vlad's white castle. It has yellow a yellow roof and is decorated with green flags. Guess Danny wasn't kidding when he mentioned that Vlad was obsessed with the Packers.

Beside me Danny moans. "Great."

Vlad doesn't bother to open the door to the car, he just phases himself out. "No point meandering," he says "time to figure out whats wrong with Phantom."

I open the car door and follow him out. Still drowsy, and not really thinking straight, I ask, "And how exactly are we going to do that?"

Vlad doesn't look back as he continues to the large and green painted front doors of his house. "It's time Danny transformed back into Phantom."

_Well, this wont be fun._

* * *

Well, another chapter I'm not really a fan of. But hey, here it is. Next chapter will be more existing: promise.

And sorry this '_crummy_' chapter took longer than most. The power in my house has been out for a few days. And it's still out. Fun right? Again, thank you all so much for your reviews - they make me happy to type.


	13. Chapter 13

This will not be fun. It could even dangerous. Danny gets sick every time he tries to use his ghost powers. I should be worried, but I think I've reached my emotional limit. Today has been a crazy hell. The sun is setting, yet I doubt that I will get to relax anytime soon. Wordlessly I follow behind Vlad.

Danny and I follow Vlad into his castle. I walk under the wooden green arch doors and I'm greeted with an entryway larger than any room in my mansion. I stop and look around. The floor tiles are green, and a large _Packers_ symbol is painted in the center of the floor. The room is freezing. I wrap my arms around my frame. Hasn't Vlad ever heard of a thermostat?

Vlad begins up the stairs. He gets to the top and turns to look down at Danny and me. "Follow me," he says.

Danny takes a step in front of me. He's blocking my view of Vlad. "What are you planning, Vlad?" Danny asks.

"I'm not going to hurt your Gothic girl," Vlad says. "Can you not accept that I'm trying to help you for once?"

"No," Danny snaps back. "I can't. You're up to something. I will find out what."

For some reason I _do_ trust Vlad and I doubt he's planning anything. The man is really just trying to help my best friend this time – it's almost like Vlad had to be the one to make his rival fall. He can't give that honor to anyone else. I place a hand on Danny's shoulder. It's warm.

Danny looks back at me. He's pale. "What?" he snaps. "Vlad's scheming something. He always is."

I shake my head slowly. "Maybe," I say, and for a moment I picture Danny as he was early this morning - almost dead and covered in his own ectoplasm. I push the image out of my head and in its place hatred for Danny's parents starts to seep back. My free hand clenches. "But before you can do anything, you need to get Phantom back."

Danny tenses. "What exactly happened to me Sam? Any word from Tucker about what's going on in Amity? Freakshow do anything yet?"

_Does he always have to be the hero?_ "My phone's out of power," I tell him, "so nothing since Tucker texted me. I'm sure Val and Tucker will manage. They'll be fine until Phantom gets back on his feet."

Danny sighs and looks away. "Maybe."

"Butter Biscuits!" Vlad yells down at us. "We don't have time for your meandering. Hurry up."

Danny scowls up at Vlad. "If you hurt me, I will tell my mom that you're a ghost."

"If you die in my care, I wouldn't be very deserving of the lovely Maddie's love, would I?" Vlad asks, with a smirk.

"You don't deserve anyone's love," Danny snaps back. "You're just a lonely, old Fruit Loop who is rich because he stole from hard working people. And even with all your money, you can't win over a woman who's married to a man you consider an idiot. How can you even sleep at night?"

Vlad stole his fortune? That does makes sense – Vlad has ghost powers. And he did just become a millionaire out of nowhere. But that doesn't matter now. I grab Danny's warm and muscular arm. He flinches but I don't let go. Instead I tighten my grip. Danny can be stubborn. And it's never a good idea to insult the only person who knows how to heal you.

I'm trembling again, but I need to be strong for Danny, because today he can't be the hero. "Come on," I say, pulling Danny up the stairs after me. "He may be a Fruit Loop, but he's the only person who can help you at the moment."

Vlad smirks. "Smart girl."

I pull a reluctant Danny up two flights of gold stairs and into a room that is decorated like a hospital room, complete with a bed and machinery. The only difference is that this room is painted not white, but green and gold. Is everything in Vlad's castle painted to look like the Packers? If Vlad's so obsessed with the Packers, why doesn't he buy the team? Or overshadowed the owner of the Green Bay Packers INK, Mark Murphy, and have the man hand over the team? Apparently he's stolen everything else he owns.

I let go of Danny's arm and motion to the bed. "I think that's yours," I tell Danny.

Danny sits down on the bed. "I'm not sick."

Vlad turns to look at Danny. Black rings flicker into existence around his left arm and split in opposite directions turning the black sleeve of his suit into the black gloves of his ghost half.

Immediately a puff of blue mist escapes Danny's mouth and he clutches his chest.

Vlad turns his arm human again. "Apparently you are. I need you to tell me, Daniel, do you remember anything from last night?"

Danny looks up at Vlad. "No."

Silence.

My stomach is sick. I wonder what it must be like to have someone ask you if you remember being torn open.

Vlad looks at me. "What about you, Miss Manson? Jazz said that you were the one who found Phantom in the lab."

I swallow. I can feel Danny's eyes boring into my back. I don't want to think about it. It was-

-how do I describe seeing _that_?

I nod. "Yeah. I found him." I close my eyes – and I can see Phantom's face, eyes closed, covered in glowing green ectoplasm. "He was unconscious at the time though," I add quickly. It's the only comfort I can find at the moment.

More silence.

"What was the boy's state?" Vlad asks, turning away and beginning to rummage through a cupboard filled with bottles, swabs needles and who knows what else.

"Don't talk about me like I'm not sitting right here?" Danny snaps.

I don't look at Danny. My heart is racing again. This can't be easy for him – but I can't face him right now. It's easier to tell Vlad. "His whole chest was cut open."

"Did Daniel turn back into a human before his _ghost half_ was healed by Phantom's healing abilities? " Vlad asks.

"No."

The cold room suddenly becomes colder. I shiver.

"Damn," Vlad says.

* * *

Here it is; the Christmas update (two days late).

The electricity at my house finally came back today. Yay! From my five days with no power I have realized three things:

1. I am very conditioned to turn lights on.

2. I am not conditioned to turn lights off.

3. I don't need to use as much electricity as I do; I can turn of my computer when I'm not using it. My speakers don't need to be on all the time. And I can turn the heat in the house down at night without freezing to death – or even being all that cold.

I hope this chapter is okay. Merry Christmas (two days late) to all my lovey reviewers, followers and favoriters (really, what do you call people who favorite things? Is there a word?) - you guys are the best.


	14. Chapter 14

I'm freezing. The room just seems to get colder. Shivering, my knees buckle and I fall so I'm sitting on the bed next to Danny, who doesn't seem to mind the cold. Silently, I watch as Vlad continues to rummage through the cupboards.

"Sam," Danny says. "You alright?"

"I will be," I say, wrapping my arms around my frame. _How long will it take for me to be alright?_

Vlad stops rummaging through the cupboard. He turns around with a needle in one hand, and two jars in the other. One contains a glowing green liquid that's too dull to be ectoplasm. The other is filled with a clear liquid. He places the green jar on a counter before opening the clear jar. He sticks the needle into the open jar and begins to fill it up. "Might as well get this over with," he says.

"What are you planning on doing to me, Vlad?" Danny demands.

"He has the right to know," I add in.

Vlad continues his task of filling the needle. "Perhaps," he says in a low voice.

My eyes are locked on Vlad as he pulls the needles now full of the clear liquid out of the jar. What is that stuff? What will it do? My fingers tap against my arm as I wait for him to explain.

Vlad sighs. "What exactly do you wish to know?"

"What's in the needle? What are you planning?" Danny asks.

"What makes you qualified to-?" I start off, but stop. What exactly? Be Danny's doctor? Inject a needle full of _who knows what_ into Danny's arm? Force Danny to turn back into a ghost?

Vlad laughs. It's forced. "I own Axion Labs: the world's largest and leading company dealing with ghosts, their technology, and biology. Without me, there would very little information on ghosts. I am also half ghost. I am qualified to know that only severe wounds afflicted on my ghost half don't transfer over to my human half. I also know that wounds stuck to my ghost half won't heal unless I'm Plasmius." He takes a breath.

Danny snorts. "How do you know-"

"You're not the only one who's been in a serious ghost fight," Vlad sneers. "You're also not the only half ghost who's had to deal with the Fenton's and their idiotism."

"Right, I believe that you've been hurt that badly," Danny says rolling his eyes.

"Believe what you will," Vlad continues, as he shakes the needle in his hand, "However, this is the only known sedative, or anesthetic that works on ghosts. And in the green stuff, will turn you back into a ghost once you're unconscious."

"And you've discovered that stuff how? It's not like there are tons of half ghosts for you to experiment on," I say, feeling nauseous. And even if there were a ton of halfas around, it wouldn't be right to experiment on them.

Vlad begins to walk towards the bed. "My lab was once full of failed clones."

I jump to my feet. Clones; Danni has once told me that Vlad was not a good father, nor was he even a good man; but using them like lab rats? "What did you do?" I demand. "If you hurt Danni, with an 'i'!" I suddenly hate the man standing in front of me. I wish I had a ghost weapon.

"Oh, her. She was the only one that didn't melt straight away. If it makes you feel any better, I only experimented on the clones that were doomed from the start." Vlad says with a smirk, "I wonder what she's up to now."

Danny jumps to his feet beside me and his hand begins to glow green. A small orb of ectoplasm forms in his hand before it flies towards Vlad.

_He actually managed a ghost attack without pain. _

However, Vlad simply takes a step to the side and the orb hits the green wall with a quiet _wak._ Where it hit the wall is black.

Suddenly Danny falls back first back into the bed and scrunches his eyes closed. He moans. "Should not have done that," he says opening his blue eyes again. His left hand turn palm up.

_Guess I was wrong._

"You really should try to learn from your mistakes, Daniel," Vlad says.

I take a step forward, blocking Vlad from Danny. Danny was right: the man is insane, and I was a fool not to see that.

Danny grabs my hand. His warm fingers tangle around mine.

Warm blood rushes to my face. I turn to look at Danny. My face is certainly red. I really care about the boy, my best friend, my hero lying on the white sheets next to me. I don't know what to do. "I'm sorry, Danny," I say, blinking back tears that are starting to swell in my eyes. "I wish there was something I could do."

Danny looks away and mutters, "Maybe you should have gone into the ghost portal yourself. If you had, I wouldn't be here. Then someone would be protecting my sister and Amity Park."

His words hit me in the gut and his warm hand feels like it weight a ton. _What? Danny still blames me for the portal accident? How long had Danny thought that- _

_"_Ow!" Danny shouts.

I blink, and look at Danny.

Vlad has stuck the clear needle into Danny's arm. Vlad pulls the needle out. "And now we wait."

"You didn't have to do that!" I shout at Vlad.

"Actually, I did," Vlad says, walking back over the counter. He drops the needle on the counter, grabs a second needle and begins to fill it with the green stuff that supposedly will turn Danny back into Phantom. "We'll wait until he's out for the second one though."

I don't even- Oh goodness! This is really happening. I don't want to see Phantom.

"Sorry," Danny mutters, his eyelids drooping. "I didn't mean what I said. This isn't your fault. And Clockwork won't let me change the past again."

"It's fine," I say. Guilt is still tugging at me though.

"It's not," Danny says, his words beginning to slur. "I just really wish that I wasn't so alone all the damn time. And, wow, you're pretty. " He pauses. "Listen to me; I think the drug is getting to my head." His eyes fall closed.

"Danny!"

He doesn't respond. He's out. The drug has done its job of pulling him into unconsciousness.

And did he just call me pretty?

"Miss Manson," Vlad says, "You said your phone was out of power. Do you need a charger?"

I look back up at Vlad, who is currently injecting a needle of the green stuff into Danny's arm.

_Darn. I should have done something (what exactly). There's nothing I can do now. Shit. I can only trust a mad man. _"What? You're trying to be nice to me now?" I ask.

"Not for your sake. I just don't want the boy to freak on me again," Vlad says walking back towards the cupboard. "You seem to be good at keeping him," he pauses, "calmer than usual."

"Like I'd leave Danny alone with you."

"Trust me; until his parents pay for this, the badger is fine."

I shake my head. I don't know how I feel about that. Yes I now hate the Fenton parents: they're ignorant scientists who tore open their own son's chest. They don't even believe that ghosts are sentient. But what exactly do they deserve? Is Vlad the right person to punish them? Still, I can't pick a fight with the man until Danny is better. "A charger would be nice," I say.

"I'll be back in a minute," Vlad says. He leaves the room.

Wait! Shouldn't he stay? He knows what's going to happen to Danny. Regardless, again, I'm alone again with Danny: my best friend who just called me pretty. I take his hand. _Isn't he supposed to turn into Phantom now?_

Suddenly blue rings flicker into existence around Danny's chest. I don't let go of his hand. They sweep over him, turning Danny back into Phantom. When they pass over my hand they feel cold, but Phantom's hand is still warm.

He smells of burnt ectoplasm.

My eyes sweep over Phantom, and I feel sick. I don't know what state I was expecting Phantom to be in – but he hasn't changed at all since the last time I saw him. The black cloth is still tied around his mouth, the iv catheter is still stuck in his arm, and Jazz's cut up sweater is still tied around his chest. The cloth is soaked with ectoplasm.

Why did Vlad leave? Was he too scared to see the state of Phantom. I really hate him at the moment.

Still, the stuff should be removed. It's only right. Trembling again, I let go of Danny's hand and begin to untie the black cloth from Danny's mouth. It takes a minute as it's tied tightly. With every second that passes, my hatred for Danny's parents grows.

Then I carefully pickup Danny's arm and remove the iv catheter. Even with my hands trembling I do a decent job. It's not the first time I've removed something from an arm: when I was younger my parents let me nurse a young mutt puppy back to health: I'd had to give it injections daily and I'd learnt how to do a decent job quite quickly. Unfortunately, the young thing was too sick, and didn't make it. I'd cried for days. But Danny isn't a puppy. And he's already half dead.

Finally, I look at ectoplasm soaked sweater. Through it I can see the hole in his chest. I stare at it. I can't remove the cloth. Vlad can. I really can't. Because I'm a coward.

I throw all the stuff into a bin sitting in the corner. Then I kneel on the floor next to Phantom. I retake his hand. Even as Phantom, Danny's hand is still warm. That's very wrong – ghosts are cold. I don't know what to do. The only thing I can do is wait for Vlad to come back with a phone charger.

I remember watching Danny's back as he entered the ghost portal. He was wearing one of his parent's black spandex jumpsuits. The fabric clung to his skinny figure – he's gained so much muscle since that day. The badge of Jack's face was coarse between my thumb and index finger. I tore it off because it didn't seem right for Danny to have the face of his _less than smart_ father on his chest while he was bravely attempting to turn on a portal to the world of the dead. Jack had even been dumb enough to put the switch on the inside – I've often wondered how Maddie overlooked such an obvious design flaw.

Still, I was curious to see if there any truth behind the Fenton parent's crazy research. Ghosts were some main stream joke. I'd been certain the portal wasn't going to turn on. Convincing Danny to go into the portal had been to satisfy my own personal curiosity.

How cool would it be to find a portal to the Zone of the Dead?

Tucker, who stood next to me, was creeped out by the portal.

Danny knew more about his parents' ecto-research than I did. Thus, it was only right that he turned it on not me.

It'd be fun.

Right?

Suddenly a flash of green filled my visions. There was no scream, only a higher than humanly possible screech. The next thing I knew the space that used to be empty portal was filled with a glowing green spiral. I was staring into the afterlife. But I didn't care. Danny, his hair bleach white, was lying face down on the floor in front of it.

The air smelled of rotten eggs and something sour. It was the first time I'd smelled burnt ectoplasm.

Tucker and I ran over to Danny. I don't remember who checked for a pulse. I do remember that he didn't have one. His body was freezing and stiff. I'd learnt just how quickly rigamortis, the stiffening of mussels post death, sets in. Time stopped. I'd convinced Danny to do something that had led to his death.

I was a murderer.

I was just like the stupid teens you hear about on the news because they told their naïve younger sibling to stick a fork into an electrical socket, or to hide in the washing machine before they die a horrible death of electric shock or suffocation.

Then the rest was a blur. Danny woke up at some point. I was too relieved, and happy, and shocked to question anything. Then my mother called, telling me that I to get home for some fancy dinner. I went to the dinner without a single complaint. My mother pulled out a pink frilly dress; I didn't complain. I didn't say a single snarky comment to dad's work partners during the dinner.

The next day when Danny didn't show up for school I felt sick. I failed my first test ever that day – I've failed many more since.

The following week Danny didn't show up for school. I didn't visit him once. I tried convincing myself that Danny didn't want me to visit him – he needed his rest. However, that was the first of many lies. The truth was that I was too terrified of what Danny was going to say to me. Would he blame me for almost dying? He was the one who was dumb enough to enter the portal. He knew what his parents were capable of. I didn't.

When Danny finally showed up at school, he acted like nothing had happened for about a day before Tucker and I saw a fork fall though his hand at lunch. Danny had confessed his ghost powers that exact moment. He hadn't even tried to hide his new ghost powers. Instead he complained about them – they were a pain, and made every moment he spent with his parents a nightmare.

Then all my worried had been replaced with fascination. Danny had become something beyond human. He was a creature from the Gothic tales I love so much. He was a half ghost. He was a halfa. And I was so lucky to have him as a best friend. When the ghosts first showed up I was at his side. I've stayed at his side ever since. We we're a great team: Danny, Tucker and I. We made a great team. Apparently I wasn't enough.

I was lucky.

Danny was luckier; he got to fly and be a hero. He got to be idolized by the people of Amity. People's lives were saved because of Danny.

Right now, I'm holding onto a hero's warm hand.

I, Sam Manson, knew Danny's parents were freaks who hated ghosts. However, here and now, sitting in this green and gold colored hospital room, clutching Phantom's warm hand and wondering if it's supposed to be cold, I finally understand the extent of their hatred towards ghosts.

The Fenton parents did this to Danny.

But am I any better? Maybe this is my fault. I was the one who told Danny to go into the Portal. I should have become a halfa. Not Danny. For the first time in a long time I feel guilt. I grit my teeth and clutch Phantom's warm hand tighter.

Suddenly there's a loud crack. I flinch before looking for the source. There's a large crack that leads from the bed Danny is laying on, to the floor to the left of me, and up the wall.

Another loud crack.

A second similar crack has appeared to the right of me. I let go of Phantom's hands and take a step back.

_What is happening?_

* * *

_Here's a Happy New Year's dance:  
_

_~(˘▾˘~) ┌(・。・)┘ ┏(＾0＾)┛ (ノ°ο°)ノ __~(˘▾˘~) ┌(・。・)┘ ┏(＾0＾)┛ (ノ°ο°)ノ __~(˘▾˘~) ┌(・。・)┘ ┏(＾0＾)┛ (ノ°ο°)ノ_


	15. Chapter 15

The cracks in the floor look exactly like the ones back in the Fenton's lab when I rescued Phantom. What are they? Is Phantom creating them?

_Crack!_

A third crack appears; this time very close to my feet. It leads up the green wall and into the cupboard, revealing shelves full of medical equipment. I stare at it. An inch to the left and I would be dead.

"Sam!" Vlad's voice suddenly yells. "Get out of there!"

I jump around to see Vlad standing just outside the room's door. I run out of the room and into the hall.

Vlad slams the metal door behind me, sealing Phantom alone in the room.

"What was that?" I demand, my voice shaking. "What were those cracks?"

Vlad says, "They mean that Daniel will most likely be alright."

"Yes, but what are they?" I demand, looking Vlad in the eye.

"I'm not entirely sure," Vlad says, "However, I do know that when ghosts shows signs of feeling a very intense negative emotion, they sometimes lose control over their abilities. Perhaps these, _cracks_, are to a similar affect. If so it means that Daniel has enough energy to create these cracks." He sighs. "I just hope my house makes it through."

"How can he feel anything if he's asleep?" I shout.

Vlad sighs. "Just because Daniel is asleep, doesn't mean that his body isn't suffering."

"And you're just going to leave him alone to suffer? Do something!"

Vlad shakes his head. "Have some patience, Miss Manson," he says, lifting his hand that is holding a phone cord. "The boy will be alright; just give him some time." He offers me the cord.

What am I supposed to say to that? Feeling useless I take the cord.

"There's coffee waiting for us in the living room. Follow me." He turns and behind to walk down the hall.

I follow Vlad down two sets of stairs, and clutch the cord in my hand. Danny, who is recovering from being vivisected _by his parents,_ blames me for his current pain. I _wasn't_ the one who strapped him down to a table and cut open his chest. I was the one who _saved_ him. Still, he blames me for convincing him to go into the portal. We had this fight a long time ago, right before Desiree granted Danny's wish and changed the past, erasing our friendship, and Phantom from reality. However, I was forced to turn Danny back into Phantom to save the world from ghosts.

The thought of using the portal to turn myself into a halfa hadn't crossed my mind. Danny was the hero. I wasn't. I thought Danny had accepted that, him being Phantom was the _right_ thing. That was the end of it.

I was wrong. Danny blames me for turning him into a halfa and for everything that's happened to him today.

It's painful.

I'm also angry.

Since the start I've been by his side, fighting ghost with him, putting _my_ life on the line. He's never thanked me. Not even once.

Maybe it's time I fought for myself. If I can take care of Freakshow, save my mother and Jazz he will see that he's not the only one who's had to give up study time, good grades and free time to protect Amity Park from ghosts. If I borrow weapons from Vlad, and learn to use them, the same way Valerie does, I might stand a chance.

I'll go back to Amity and show Danny that I can be a hero to – without his powers.

Eventually Vlad stops. We're in a green room that's about twice as large as my living room (and my living room is fairly large), with gold floor tiles. There are many chairs in the room, a couch and a marble coffee table in the center of the room with two mugs of coffee sitting on it. For a second I wonder how Vlad was able to make the coffee so fast, and then I remember that Vlad is really, really rich and he probably had a butler, or someone of the sort, make the coffee.

It's odd how I haven't seen anyone, beside Danny and Vlad, in the house.

"There's a power outlet behind that chair," Vlad says, pointing to a one of four rather large, matching gold fabricked chairs.

I pull my cell from my pocket, plug it into the wall and sit down facing Vlad, who's sitting across from me in a similar chair. I should feel awkward, being alone with a man who I know to be insane, but instead I feel determined to save Amity Park, and Show Danny that I can lookout for myself. Now is my chance to ask Vlad for weapons. I wonder if Vlad ever felt the need to protect someone, and prove that he's capable of being a hero, or at the very least that he was always there, the way I do now.

Probably not. He's evil, and insane.

_Unless- _

"Tell me," I say watching as my phone's screen lights up. There's a short animation of different colored lights dancing around the screen; it's distracting, almost calming. "Do you still love Maddie?" I snap my mouth shut. Did I really just ask Vlad if he's still in love with married woman? I really do need to learn to keep shut my mouth.

Vlad takes a sip of coffee. "Ah, Maddie," he says, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips, "she is a most amazing woman. She's beautiful, smart, pretty, she loves ghost-"

"-she hates ghost! You know what she did to Phantom!" I shouldn't have said that.

Silence.

Vlad places his mug on the table. "Tell me, Samantha," he says, his face expressionless, "why did you convince Danny to enter the ghost portal?"

_Curiosity_ – but don't say that out loud. I place my phone on the chair next to me and pull my knees to my chest. "Give me some weapons," I say, "I'll go save my mother, Jazz, and Amity Park."

"You'd abandon Danny?"

I ignore him and keep talking. "You gave those crazy weapons to Valerie. That flying surfboard; I could use something like that to get back to Amity."

Vlad stand up, "Samantha?" he asks, "do you really think you're capable of saving Amity Park yourself?"

Vlad doubts me? But he gave his weapons to Valarie. "Yes," I say looking up at Vlad's scowling face, "I've been in so many ghosts fights with Danny. I can handle a few ghosts."

"No," Vlad says, beginning to walk out of the room. "I won't lend you any weapons."

"Why?"

Vlad stops walking. "Jack and Maddie ruined my life. They turned me into a half dead monster and left me alone to rot in that hospital. They even had the gull to abandon me." He gives a forced laugh. "It was hell keeping my newly acquired powers hidden from those idiot doctors. I had no idea what was wrong with me, and I couldn't bear to look at my disgusting ecto-acne covered face in the mirror." Vlad stops talking. The temperature drops again. "If Jack and _my_ Maddie had bothered to visit me even once I would have forgiven them. Even a card would have sufficed."

More silence. I stare at Vlad's back over my knees. What does any of that have to do with my request for weapons?

"Samantha Manson," Vlad almost growls. There's a loud crack. The gold tiles beneath Vlad's feet shatter. "If you abandon Danny now, the same way _my_ Maddie abandoned me when I needed her the most; I can promise that you will not live much longer." Vlad strides out of the room.

I'm left alone, far from Amity Park. My best friend is suffering upstairs. Guilt is eating at me, although I can't pinpoint exactly what I feel guilty for. Thinking of leaving Danny? Forcing Danny into the Ghost Portal? I'm beyond mad at Maddie, and Jack: if it weren't for their stupid ghost research none of this would have happened. Vlad wouldn't have happened. Phantom wouldn't have happened.

I rest my forehead against my knees, and for the first time in a very long time I sob.

Eventually, I fall asleep.


End file.
